GANASAMHATI’S PUBLIC HEALTH CONVENTION Govt fails to fight COVID-19
Politicians, rights activists and critics on Saturday accused the government of failing to fight COVID-19 outbreak.
Addressing a webinar, titled ‘Public Health Convention 2020’ organised by Ganasamhati Andolan, they urged the pro-people political and other organisations to unite to start movement against government.
Inaugurating the convention, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder and trustee Zafrullah Chowdhury said that Bangladesh should participate in the phase-3 trial of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine actively as he smelled international conspiracy against it.
‘As the COVID-19 infection rate is increasing in Bangladesh, international conspiracy is also taking place here because it is now a trillion-dollar business,’ said the public health expert.
He raised questions about the government move for reviewing the possible phase-3 trial of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine in the country after it got ethical approval from the Bangladesh Medical Research Council.
He said that the BMRC was the authorising body to allow such trial and it earlier allowed several vaccines from European countries and no other authorities was necessary to review it.
Sudden ‘headache’ of the ministry regarding the trial process raised question, he said, adding that Bangladesh should go for an agreement with the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developing firm Sinovac for 50 per cent ownership sharing if it works.
Nagarik Oikkya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna demanded resignation of the government for failing to handle the health sector properly during the COVID-19 situation.
He urged the opposition parties not to delay for starting anti-government movement in the name of unity as unity will be forged during the movement.
‘A united movement is needed to change the existing power and policy structure as the autocratic attitude of the ruling class is ignoring people’s demand continuously,’ said Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal general secretary Khalequzzaman.
He said that public servants had turned into servants of ruling Awami League because every sector was politicised badly.
Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary Saiful Huq said that the bureaucracy-depended government was not following the instruction of the national advisory committee formed to handle the COVID-19 crisis.
He said that the government was now considering government’s criticisms as ant-state activities which he termed dangerous.
Ganosamhati Andolan convener Zonayed Saki said that his party organised the convention to make an outline for public health policy as the party proposed an outline in this regard.
He said that over 35 experts, politicians and rights activists participated in the discussion and gave their opinion which would be included in the draft.
Addressing the programme, Illinois State University’s politics and government department distinguished professor Ali Riaz said that there was no coordination between the infrastructure and other health facilities.
He lamented that the poor allocation for the health sector was also being misused and embezzled by some corrupt officials.
He said that the so-called syndicates became strong with the power of the ruling politicians as the corrupt quarters always maintained the political connection.
‘Ensuring accountability in the health sector will not be possible without ensuring the accountability of the political situation,’ he said, adding that the health sector became politicised instead of ensuring strong monitoring.
Among others, Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, economist Binayak Sen, local government expert Tofail Ahmed, physicians Sheikh Bahar Uddin, Harun-or-Rashid, lawyers Jyatirmoy Barua, Hasnat Quayum, freedom fighter Mahfuzur Rahman, journalist Golam Murtuza and Dhaka University professor Tanzimuddin Khan, Ganosamhati Andolan leaders Dewan Abdur Rashid Nilu and Taslima Akhter and former Dhaka University Central Students’ Union vice-president Nurul Haque Nur speak in the programme.
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net
