DHAKA, April 13, 2020 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged the
nation to await a sunny day to end soon the current dark hours in an address
on the eve of the Bengali new year Pahela Boishakh amid the global COVID-19
pandemic, gripping Bangladesh as well.
“The (coronavirus) darkness which surrounded us must end one day,” she said
in her 16-minute nationwide televised address marking the Bangla Nabo Barsho
1427 from her official Ganobhaban residence lawn.
Sheikh Hasina said the enraged scene of the Bengali calendar’s first month
of Boishakh inspires all to be brave and paves ways for new creation from the
destruction referring to National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s famous poem
“Pralayollas” or “Ecstasy of Destruction”.
“Oi Natuner Keton Ore Kal-Boshekhir Jhor. Tora Sob Joyodwoni Kor! . . .
Dhongso Dekhe Voy Keno Tor?-Proloy Nuton Srijon-Bedon! Asche Nobin-Jibon-Hara
O-Sundore Korte Chhedon!” she recited.
The translated version of the verses read: There rages the summer storm
flying the flag of the New and the Young, Come, make merry and rejoice . . .
Oh, have no fear! . . . The rotting old and the dying decrepit will now be
wiped out for good.
The premier also quoted from Poet Rabindranath Tagore and Poet
Satyendranath Dutta saying a sun of new days must rise by overcoming the deep
darkness of coronavirus that eclipsed the whole world.
Sheikh Hasina simultaneously urged all to strictly follow directives to
prevent spread of the virus staying indoor and announced some fresh
initiatives as succour particularly for the vulnerable people.
She said five lakh tonnes (MT) of rice and one lakh MT of wheat worth Taka
2,503 crore were allocated for distribution among low-income people free of
cost.
Besides, she said, 74,000 MT of rice would be distributed among poorer
people in urban areas for three months at Taka 10 per kilogram under the
government’s OMS programme which would cost the national exchequer an amount
of Taka 251 crore as subsidy.
Sheikh Hasina said her government by now sanctioned Taka 750 crore for
health and life insurance of doctors, nurses, health workers, field-level
officials, armed forces and paramilitary BGB personnel, law enforcement
agencies members and other employees of the republic who are directly on duty
to combat the pandemic.
She said Taka 100 crore was being allocated as special honorarium for the
government health workers working directly with Covid-19 patients and said
the entire nation was appreciating all including them for their response to
call of duty.
The premier reassured the nation that her government firmly stood by the
people at the hour of the COVID-19 darkness and called upon not to be scared
as it could affect one’s resistance capacity.
“Don’t be scared as the fear weakens the prevention capacity of the people.
Don’t spread panic … we’ve all to face the situation with courage and the
government always stays with you,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina reminded all that the Bengalis are a nation of heroes while
they had bravely faced many disasters in the past and “we triumphed in the
Liberation War in 1971” as well.
“We are a victorious nation and we’ll be able to contain the pandemic
caused by the lethal virus together Insha Allah,” she said.
The prime minister prayed to Allah so that the storm of the pandemic is
stopped fast and the people of the country stay well and healthy.
“It’s my earnest prayers to Allah in the Bnagla New Year that the
volatility of the deadly disease is halted quickly,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said some vested quarters were out to mislead the people by
spreading rumours and urged the people not to be confused in the rumour.
“It’s not expected during this crisis in any way,” she said.
The prime minister requested the media people to highlight the actual
information with responsibility on the coronavirus situation.
Noting that she doesn’t know how long the ongoing crisis will persist and
how much impact it will put on Bangladesh’s economy, Sheikh Hasina said her
government has been working untiringly to offset the possible negative impact
on the economy.
The premier said the government has already announced various stimulus
packages involving Taka 95,619 crore which is 3.3 percent of the GDP (Gross
Domestic Product) to offset the possible adverse impact on the economy due to
the nationwide shutdown declared for the coronavirus pandemic.
Spelling out measures taken by the government, Sheikh Hasina said, “We’ve
sorted out four main tasks to fallout the probable blow on the economy due to
coronavirus outbreak.”
She said programmes will be executed in three phases with starting instant
implementation in the rest three months of this fiscal, the short-term from
the next year and mid-term in the next three years.
Sheikh Hasina elaborated the four programmes taken to cope with the
possible economic impact on the country due to the coronavirus outbreak.
1)Increasing public expenditure: Generating employment will be basically
given priority in public expenditure.
2)Giving financial stimulus packages: The main purpose of the stimulus
packages to revive the economic activities, keeping the job of the workers
and employees as well as the competitive edge of the entrepreneurs intact.
3) Widening the coverage of the social safety net: The coverage of our
existing social safety net would be further widened to fulfill the basic
needs of people living below the poverty line, day labourers and people who
are engaged in non-formal works.
4)Increasing monetary supply: The monetary supply will be increased in
such a way that there will be no inflation and helpful to overcome the
adverse impact on the economy.
The premier also described the measures taken by her government for
safeguarding the marginalized people alongside continuing the social safety
net programmes to make up for the possible wrath arising out of the
coronavirus outbreak.
1)A total of five lakh metric tons of rice and one lakh metric ton wheat
worth about Taka 2,503 crore have been allocated to distribute those among
the low-income people.
2) The programmes relating to sale of rice at Taka 10 per kilogram among
the low-income people under the OMS (Open Market Sale) have already started
in the towns and Taka 251 crore subsidy will be given for the purpose.
3)Directive has already given to quickly prepare the list of day
labourers, rickshaw-van drivers, motor- construction workers, newspaper
hawkers, hotel workers and the people of other professions who have lost
their jobs due to declaring of longtime general holidays or partial lockdown.
Cash will be sent in a single installment directly to their bank accounts
once the list is completed. A total of Taka 760 crore has been allocated in
this sector.
4) Allowance for elderly people, widows and the women repressed by their
husbands under the social safety net programmes will be made cent percent in
the most-poor 100 upazilas. As many as taka 815 crore have been allocated in
the budget for the purpose.
5) Building houses for homeless people as part of the programmes “none
will remain homeless” marking the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation
would be implemented quickly. A total of Taka 2130 crore will be allocated
for this purpose.
The prime minister said that the financial stimulus packages announced for
the industry are: Taka 30,000 crore as working capital for the affected
industries and service sectors; Tk 20,000 crore as working capital for very
small, small and medium enterprises; Tk 12,750 crore to increase the
advantages for Export Development Fund (EDF); Tk 5,000 crore under the Pre-
shipment Credit Refinance Scheme and Taka 5000 crore as special fund for the
export oriented industries.
Stressing the need for boosting the agriculture production in the current
situation, Sheikh Hasina said, “We shouldn’t leave a small piece of land
uncultivated as we don’t want to experience any food crisis in the days to
come.”
The premier said the agriculture related ministries have already been asked
to take effective measures as no shortage of agricultural inputs such as
fertilizer, seeds and pesticides arises and reach those to farmers in time.
The prime minister also said that her government has decided to procure
additional 2 lakh metric tons of paddy in comparison to the last year to
facilitate the farmers to get actual price of the Boro paddy.
“We’ve decided to allocate additional Taka 860 crore to this end while Tk
200 crore have already been allocated for purchasing agricultural machinery,”
she continued.
Sheikh Hasina pointed out that the government has raised a fund of Taka
5000 crore for disbursing as the current capital in the agricultural sector.
“Loan could be provided from the fund at 4 percent interest rate to the
small and medium farmers for agriculture, fisheries, dairy and poultry,” she
said, adding Tk 9500 crore have been allocated as agriculture subsidy.
The premier said her government is keeping a sharp eye on the situation
evolved for the coronavirus pandemic and has been taking measures whatever
necessary to protect Bangladesh from its onslaught.
In this context, she said, “In this moment, there is no crisis of foods as
there is sufficient stock of foods in the government warehouses as well as in
the houses of well-off farmers.”
Referring to last season’s bumper production of Ropa Aman (Transplantation
Aman) paddy, she said there was a forecast of abundant production of Boro
paddy in this season.
“Special measures have been put in place to ensure uninterrupted supply
and distribution of foods and agricultural products,” she said.
Appreciating the strides of affluent section of people of the society to
join hands with the government in distributing relief materials, the prime
minister requested the well-off people to continue their efforts in the
coming days.
But, she said that it was necessary to distribute the relief goods in
coordination with the local administration and law enforcement agencies
instead of giving those separately to check the coronavirus spreading.
The premier said doctors, nurses and other health workers have been
providing healthcare to the COVID-19 patients from the front-line despite
having resource constraints and health risks.
“Your profession is like one kind of challenge. Please don’t loose your
mental strength in this crisis period as the whole of the countrymen are with
you,” she said.
Extending her heartfelt thanks to the doctors, nurses and other health
workers on behalf of the countrymen, Sheikh Hasina said she has already
directed the authorities concerned to make a list of those government health
workers who are dealing directly with the coronavirus patients.
“Special honorarium will be given to them and Taka a 100 crore has been
allocated in this regard,” she said.
The prime minister said a process is underway to introduce insurance for
doctors, nurses, health workers, field level administrative officers, members
of the law enforcement agencies, armed forces, BGB, and other officials
involved directly in coronavirus prevention.
If anyone of them is infected by the deadly virus, Sheikh Hasina said, he
or she will get Taka 5 lakh to Tk 10 lakh, as health insurance, based on the
rank.
“In case of the death of any person in COVID-19, he or she will get five
times higher of the amount,” she said, adding a Taka 750 crore has been
allocated for the health and life insurances.
Mentioning that there is no shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
in the country, the premier said the country’s people expect that the health
professionals will provide healthcare services to the COVID-19 patients
keeping themselves safe from coronavirus.
Sheikh Hasina simultaneously urged hospital authorities to give attention
so that general patients are not deprived of the healthcare services.
She thanked the members of the law enforcement agencies and armed forces,
government officials, media people and others engaged in emergency services
and carrying COVID-19 patients and funeral of their dead bodies.
The premier said different global agencies are now giving projections that
the whole of the world is going to embrace a global economic recession.
“You know that the best way to prevent this virus is quarantine or to
confine anyone in a room,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina pointed out that more than 250 crore people of the world are
now confined to houses, while people are being confined to their houses
through enforcing lockdown in places, enforcing mass holidays to somewhere
and also imposing curfews to other places.
The prime minister said the general holidays have remained in force in the
country since March 25 and will continue for 32 days in a row while all kinds
of general operations remain shut except the emergency services.
She said the lion’s share of the country’s industries and business houses
have remain closed, while the operations of small-scale industries as well as
movement of public transports and flights have also remained suspended.
The premier said negative impact has started to put on in the country’s
import and export operations due to the impact of the deadly disease.
“Many of our expatriates have started to become jobless in many countries.
As a result, the inward remittance flow has almost come to a stagnant level.
We’re not out of the global system and the shock of the global economic
recession has become a matter of worry for our economy,” she said.
On the occasion of Bangla Nabo Borsho, the prime minister greeted the
countrymen and said the Bangalees across the country and also throughout the
world usually celebrate the Bengali New Year with festivity and joy.
She said the people from all walks of life throng the Ramna Park,
Charukola, Suhrawardy Uddyan and other parts of the capital while the whole
of the country wears a festive look with rural fairs and halkhatas.
But this time the premier urged the countrymen to share the joy of the
Bangla New Year with their family members through savoring various local
seasonal fruits like mangoes, guavas and watermelons.
“Please, don’t go outside of your houses without any valid reason and also
don’t gather anywhere. Please also do follow the health guidelines and thus
save yourselves and your family members from the infection of coronavirus,”
she said.
She added that the government has banned all the outdoor programmes of the
Bangla New Year considering the greater interest of public health as the
lethal virus has already started infecting people in the country.
Sheikh Hasina said the programmes of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary and the Independence Day were aired
in radio, television and other digital media, avoiding public gatherings.
“The programmes of Pahela Baishakh will also be celebrated in the same
way,” she said.
“This time, we’ll enjoy the programmes of Bangla Nabo Barsho staying at
home. We’ll welcome the new year singing the Kobi Guru’s ageless song – Eso
He Boishakh Esho Esho,” she added.
At the outset of her speech, the premier recalled with profound respect
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other martyrs of
the August 15 carnage and the four national leaders.
She also remembered 30 lakh martyrs and two lakh repressed women of the
country’s Liberation War.