Ration cards for 50 lakh families during pandemic: PM

The government will issue ration cards for more 50 lakh vulnerable families during the countrywide shutdown, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today.

“We have taken initiative for Tk92,000 crore packages to face the recession,” the premier said during a videoconference with the public representatives and officials of nine districts of Dhaka division on the present coronavirus situation of the country.

The videoconference started at 10am at the prime minister’s official Ganabhaban residence and public representatives and officials of Dhaka, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi, Faridpur, Madaripur, Rajbari, Shariatpur and Gopalganj districts of Dhaka division are connected to it.

“Dhaka, Narayanganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur and some other places near the capital have been identified as the hotspots of coronavirus Infected patients,” Sheikh Hasina said.

“Self awareness will keep us, our family, and above all people of the country safe,” the premier also said, adding, “Family members of virus infected patients should not go out of their homes.”

She also said, “Anyone can be infected with the virus, but there is no logic to abandon the victim.”

“Enough personal protective equipment are stocked in the country, there is nothing to be worried,” she further added.

The prime minister advised all to wear masks and pray Tarabi prayer at home.

PM Hasina also said, “As our harvesting season nears, so farmers should be at the field as it poses no risk of spreading the virus because they can maintain required distancing there. Village markets should be kept open in open spaces.”

Regarding the relief embezzlement, she said, “Local committees have been formed to locate the true underprivileged and reach government reliefs to them. Respective authorities were given order to prohibit impropriety of any sort.”

“We haven’t found as many irregularities as reported about government relief misappropriation after investigation, But the little that is there will be strictly contained,” the PM said.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina exchanged views with the public representatives and officials of 16 districts of Khulna and Barishal divisions on April 12 via a videoconference on the current coronavirus situation and gave various directives to them to tackle the situation.

The premier also held a videoconference with the public representatives and officials of 15 districts of Chattogram and Sylhet divisions on April 7 on the same issue.

The virus till yesterday claimed 50 lives and infected 1,231 others in Bangladesh so far.