Help govt contain the 2nd wave

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon people to help the government contain the second wave of novel coronavirus by maintaining health guidelines such as wearing masks, avoiding mass gatherings and refraining from going out of home unnecessarily.

"This time the transmission of the virus is rising very rapidly. This outbreak is seen not only in our country, but also around the world. The rate of coronavirus infection has increased so fast on March 29, 30 and 31 which is unthinkable," she said.

"So, I would like to tell all people that we will have to check coronavirus again like exactly what we did at the first time to control everything," the PM told parliament while taking part in the discussion on a condolence motion.

The motion was placed during the first sitting of the 12th session of the current Jatiya Sangsad at the death of Awami League MP Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury (Sylhet-3) who died on March 11.

Hasina said the government was trying to bring the pandemic situation under control. She said assistance from the people was necessary in this regard.

The leader of the House said though the novel coronavirus was largely controlled in Bangladesh initially, the country is now witnessing a sudden surge in infection rate as people are ignoring health guidelines since the launch of the vaccination campaign thinking that nothing would happen to them.

"But I had repeatedly asked people to wear masks and follow the health guidelines even after taking jabs against coronavirus. However, maintaining the health protocol has stopped."

Hasina said attending marriage ceremonies and visiting tourist spots mainly contributed to the sudden surge in the infection rate. She urged people to arrange marriage ceremonies on a limited scale following health guidelines.

"After returning home from offices or other places, people should inhale the steam from hot water by covering their head with a piece of cloth. This can work effectively against coronavirus."

She suggested that people should oil their nose with mustard oil before leaving home.

The premier said her government has already issued some directives to fight the coronavirus outbreak effectively.

She expressed deep shock at the deaths of lawmaker Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury, and some noted personalities, including her political adviser HT Imam, and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved families.

She described both Samad Chowdhury and HT Imam as politically conscious persons and recalled their contributions to nation building activities.

Talking about late BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed, six-time MP from Noakhali-5 and Bogura-7, Hasina said he was a very talented person.

"But had it [talent] been used properly with patriotism, he could have given a lot to the country."

She said Moudud had never been appointed as a lawyer in the Agartola Conspiracy Case though he had claimed so. "However, he was with Dr Kamal Hossain and Barrister Amirul Islam at that time."

She said the BNP leader was never involved in the politics of Chhatra League and he always stayed with the ruling party.

"When Moudud returned to Bangladesh in 1969 after completing Barrister-at-Law abroad, sympathy was always showed towards him as a son-in-law of poet Jasimuddin."

Moudud was arrested in 1973 for leaking secret information on Bangladesh to others, the PM said, adding that he was released after poet Jasimuddin requested Bangabandhu in this regard.

After the discussion, the House unanimously adopted the condolence motion, moved by Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.

Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, Opposition Chief Whip Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Awami League MPs Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Muhammad Faruk Khan, Jatiya Party's Pir Fazlur Rahman, and BNP's Harunur Rashid, among others, also took part in the discussion.