Govt giving wrong info over Covid-19: BNP

BNP yesterday alleged the government has been providing wrong information about coronavirus cases and fatalities.

"How many people are dying of coronavirus and what information is being given about it? Many people are dying after getting infected with the virus. As per a report, about 82,000 people have been left out in government data on coronavirus-infected patients," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He made the remarks while distributing relief among victims of riverbank erosion in Dohar-Nawabganj, arranged by the party's Dhaka district unit.

"This means the government is unable to take proper decisions to contain the virus. It has also failed to ensure necessary medicine and other facilities at hospitals for treatment, and work out health safety rules to control the virus. So, people are dying on the streets, on the verandas of hospitals or in ambulances without any treatment."

Rizvi alleged that people infected with coronavirus in rural and remote areas are facing difficulties in receiving treatment due to lack of proper arrangement in this regard.

"Had there been a pro-people government, it would have forced to ensure treatment for people thinking about people's voting power. But they don't need votes and elections as they don't care about people," he alleged.

The BNP leader said the government has resorted to extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and other "repressive and suppressive" acts to retain power and perpetuate it by "eliminating" its political opponents and dissidents.

"Retired Army Major Sinha was killed by a police station OC, but there's no justice and the rule of law… a UNO was hacked in the head, leaving her in a critical condition. The incidents of murder and enforced disappearance are now all around since it is a government programme," Rizvi added.