DHAKA, May 16, 2020 (BSS)- Coming down heavily on BNP leaders for their
comments on Corona situation, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said
the death rate of coronavirus disease is much less than that of the
neighboring countries, the European states and the USA due to correct
measures taken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stem this highly infectious
disease.
“The country is seeing much less death rate in coronavirus disease compared
to other countries and even neighouring states due to proper, time-befitting
and required steps of the government under the supervision of Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina,” he said.
He said 1.48 percent people died among total identified patients in
Bangladesh while 3.2 percent died in India among the total identified
patients of Coronavirus, 2.14 percent died in Pakistan, 5.96 percent died in
America, 14.36 percent died in the UK, 10 percent died in Spain and 14.11
percent died in Italy among the total affected patients.
The information minister made the remarks at a press briefing at his
official residence in city’s Minto Road.
Hasan said the data shows that the death rate in coronavirus outbreak is
much less than other countries due to the pragmatic steps of the government.
He urged the BNP leaders to look at the prevailing corona situation in
Europe, the USA and even in neighbouring India and Pakistan before making any
remark about the state of coronavirus pandemic in Bangladesh. Only then they
(BNP) can realize the corona situation prevailing in Bangladesh, he said.
He went on saying that BNP leaders are criticising the government works to
serve their ulterior motive. “Actually their (BNP) main motive is to impede
the good works of the government,” said Hasan, also Awami League Joint
General Secretary.
The whole world and even the World Health Organization, the World Economic
Forum, and prestigious magazines like Forbes and The Economist applauded the
bold leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in tackling the coronavirus
crisis, Hasan said.
Replying to a query about the treatment services of country’s private
hospitals, the information minister regretted that the private hospitals are
reluctant to come forward for providing healthcare to Coronavirus affected
patients what they are supposed to do.
Many private hospitals have been closed down by the owners themselves, he
said, adding the hospitals are out to push the helpless patients to other
hospitals.
He said such behaviour of those private hospitals is simply inhuman as a
hospital is in principle set up for providing health services to patients.
He termed it abnormal that a 200-bed private hospital demanded Taka 17
crore per month, besides demanding money for food and accommodation for
doctors and nurses.
The information minister hoped that all private hospitals will come forward
to serve people during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Replying to another query about rumors and contents of some research groups
posted on different social media on Coronavirus, Hasan said people can find
existence of some research organisations during any disaster or when people
fall in crisis. Actually, they create only fictitious reports without
carrying out any research, he added.
He said these groups resort to such acts only to criticize the government
and to give handle of criticism to the opposition.
Such fictitious reports tantamount to spreading rumors, he said, hoping
these groups will stop spreading rumors.
Earlier, the minister handed over one hundred PPE to the leaders of Dhaka Union of Journalists.