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PM-COVID-19-VIDEOCONFERENCE LEAD 2 DHAKA
Sheikh Hasina said the government is providing various allowances to the poor and distressed people under the social safety net programmes, while the distribution of open market sale (OMS) of rice is also going on.
“But we’ve stopped distribution of extra rice which was supposed to be sold from trucks as various anomalies came to our notice in this regard,” she said.
In this connection, the premier mentioned that some people were seen to sell rice to others after buying.
“To prevent the irregularities, we’ve directed the authorities concerned to prepare a list of the genuine needy people irrespective of parties and opinions and develop their database so that the actual needy people get this rice,” she said.
The premier said she has tasked a secretary in every district to monitor the relief distribution and whether people follow the health guidelines properly.
“Simultaneously, we asked our party leaders and workers to form committees up to the ward level and help prepare a list of the genuine needy people so they get succours in this perilous time,” she added.
The prime minister said the government has declared a Tk 5000-crore incentive package for the agriculture sector to increase food production.
“The package has been prepared by comprising all sectors including agriculture, poultry, dairy and flowers,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina also put emphasis on creating scopes for smooth marketing of products. “For this, we’ll have to make proper arrangements for communication so that no scarcity of any good is seen in the market,” she said.
The prime minister said she has directed the authorities concerned to set up haats and markets by maintaining adequate distance. “We’ve made these arrangements so that the life of the people doesn’t stall totally,” she said.
Pointing out that the harvesting of paddy is underway, Sheikh Hasina called upon all, including teachers, students and the people of other professions, to help the farmers in cutting paddy.
“We have allocated Taka 200 crore and are giving 50-70 percent subsidy to the peasants so that they can buy machineries for this. Following my directives, the leaders and activists of Chhatra League have already stood beside the farmers for harvesting paddy,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina also pointed out that she has also instructed the party leaders and workers to reach foods to the distressed people.
Referring to the forecast of many international organizations, including the United Nations, the premier said the world may experience famine and great economic depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“But we’ve fertile land and hard-working people and we’re also self-reliant in food. So, everybody should be engaged in producing foods whatever and wherever they can so that the country doesn’t face any crisis of food, rather we can export,” she said.
About the reopening of the garment factories, the prime minister said a decision in this regard will be taken after discussions with the factory owners.
“Many workers had to suffer extremely a few days ago as the garment owners all on a sudden announced reopening their factories, they’d to walk miles after miles to join their work and it was not a right decision (of the owners),” she said.
The prime minister said some essential factories like pharmaceutical industries will have to be reopened. “The holy month of Ramadan is ahead, so, we cannot keep closed all factories and we’ve to reopen some places,” she said.
“However, the factories will have to be run by keeping protected their workers and ensuring their housing and transportation facilities,” she said.
In this connection the prime minister said as Gazipur is COVID-19 infection-prone area, the authorities will have to think about whether it will be wise to reopen the factories there on April 24 or 25.
MORE/SH/GA/1750 hrs