Dist hospitals to be readied

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the government is getting all the district hospitals ready with ICUs and oxygen supplies to provide healthcare services to the people in case the Covid-19 hits again in the upcoming winter.

"The outbreak of coronavirus had begun last winter. It may resurge in the upcoming winter. Keeping it in mind, we are arranging all sorts of medical services, including setting up ICUs and ensuring oxygen supplies to every district hospital," she said.

The PM was addressing a programme yesterday marking the opening of the Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram all-weather road in Kishoreganj to traffic.

She inaugurated the 29.73-km road through a video conference from the Gono Bhaban in the capital.

Hasina said the government recruited some 2,000 doctors, 3,000 nurses and a good number of health technicians following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said the government has been making all kinds of efforts to check the spread of the virus in the country.

The premier said the government was setting up special economic zones in different regions so that the local people could attain financial solvency by processing their produced goods there. 

"While setting up special economic zones in a region, we are paying attention to goods hugely produced there," she added.

Hasina said the government has a plan to develop food and other agriculture goods processing industries so that agriculture-dependent regions do not remain dependent on only farming.

"Rather their produced goods will be processed, marketed and exported from there ensuring financial gains for the local people."

The premier said the government is setting up a university in Netrakona-Kishoreganj region.

"We want a university to be set up in every big district across the country so that students can pursue their higher education staying in their localities."

The PM stressed the need for running educational activities through the digital platform as the Covid-19 has badly affected the academic life of the country's students.

Hasina said Sangsad TV having has been dedicated to the education of the students in absence of the Jatiya Sangsad session.

About the connectivity, Hasina said the government has been strengthening the communication systems by developing the road network throughout the country, expanding the railway networks and making the waterways more operational. "So, the connectivity with different regions will be developed."

She extended her sincere thanks to President Abdul Hamid for taking the initiative for the construction of the road.

The PM said she would like to visit the road once the Covid-19 situation improved.

With the construction of the road, the protracted sufferings of the local people will end as they now can easily travel to and from Dhaka via Nasirnagar or Bhairab.

The road, constructed at a cost of Tk 874.08 crore, connects three upazilas of Kishoreganj -- Itna, Mithamoin and Austagram.

The Itna-Mithamoin-Austagram road goes straight through the vast haor area in parallel with the Dhanu and Baulai rivers.In 2016, President Hamid had inaugurated the construction work of the road in his ancestral district.

Later, the PM exchanged views with some local people who were connected from Mithamoin upazila. Local lawmakers and dignitaries of Kishoreganj district were present at the Mithamoin end.

While exchanging views with local people, Hasina said the road is a gift on behalf of the president in the "Mujib Borsho".

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader delivered the welcome speech at the event, conducted by PM's Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus.