D H A K A T U E S D AY A P R I L 7 , 2 0 2 0

REGD. NO. DA 781 VOL. XXX NO. 85 CHAITRA 24, 1426 BS SHABAN 12, 1441 HIJRI 12 PAGES PLUS LIFESTYLE PRICE: TK 12.00

BANGLADESH 35 123 33 12 GLOBAL 70,590 270, 372 1,289,380

UPDATE infected in 24 hours Total cases Total recovery Death UPDATE Total deaths Total recoveries Total cases

Put hotspots on
‘total lockdown’
PM asks officials to cut off the capital, Narayanganj,
Gaibandha, Madaripur to slow spread of coronavirus;
law enforcers asked to strictly enforce social distancing
PARTHA PRATIM BHATTACHARJEE
Lockdown may be extended further
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday
ordered total lockdown of Dhaka and Situation may deteriorate in mid-April
Narayanganj cities, and Madaripur and PM annoyed with owners’ indecision
Gaibandha districts to fight the spread of over closure of RMG factories
coronavirus.
She also asked for lockdown of areas Shops other than pharmacies to close
where Covid-19 patients have been found, by 7pm every day
officials said.
The PM directed all garment factories, Narayanganj City Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy
except the ones making personal protective on Sunday requested the prime minister to
equipment, to remain closed until further lockdown her city or impose a curfew there
notice. to curb the spread of novel coronavirus.
Hasina gave the directives during the Sources said Hasina during yesterday’s
weekly cabinet meeting held at the Gono cabinet meeting was furious at garment
Bhaban with just seven ministers. factory owners who caused thousands of
Twelve people, who tested positive for workers to trudge to Dhaka and then leave,
Covid-19, have died and 123 cases have increasing the chances of spreading the
been confirmed, according to the Directorate virus.
General of Health Services (DGHS). Division among influential owners
At least 64 of the infected are in Dhaka, over the closure of RMG factories and an
23 in Narayanganj, 11 in Madaripur, and absence of specific instructions from the
five in Gaibandha. government had sent thousands of workers
Since Sunday night, police had been into a dangerous scramble to get back to
restricting people’s entry to and exit from Showing disregard for social distancing, dozens queue up in front of a truck of the state-run Trading Corporation of
Dhaka. But when they arrived, many found PHOTO:
Dhaka. Emergency service providers were that the owners had changed their minds. Bangladesh (TCB) to buy daily essentials at cheaper prices. On-duty policemen requested them to stand apart but it was ANISUR RAHMAN
outside the purview of the restrictions. SEE PAGE 2 COL 1 not heeded. The photo was taken in the capital’s Lalbagh Beribandh area around noon yesterday.

COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION IN CLUSTERS CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC ONGOING SHUTDOWN

DEMO FOR PAY
Draw up strategy Worrisome leap in Press out
of purview
25 hurt as RMG
workers, police
to contain it deaths, infections STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Newspapers and other
essential services
clash in M’singh
Experts urge the authorities 3 die, 35 test positive, highest in a single day will remain out of
the purview of the
STAR REPORT

ongoing shutdown, At least 25 people were injured as police and

MOHAMMAD AL-MASUM MOLLA garment workers clashed in Mymensingh’s
While the authorities maintain that community transmission is happening BANGLADESH COVID-19 which was announced
by the government Bhaluka upazila yesterday.
The workers were demonstrating for
only in clusters and that there is nothing to worry, experts say unless the
government draws up a cluster containment strategy immediately, the
situation will remain worrisome.
CONFIRMED CASES to contain the
coronavirus outbreak
in the country.
their salaries for the month of March.
The injured include garment workers
The implementation of the strategy will help contain Covid-19 within A circular, issued and three police personnel.
a defined geographic area by detecting cases early and breaking the by the public Meanwhile, over 100 garment units were
transmission chain, preventing further spread of the highly contagious administration open in Savar and Ashulia yesterday despite
virus, they said. ministry on Sunday, repeated calls for closure of garment
The term “cluster transmission” is used to identify infections that are said utility services factories by the BGMEA and the BKMEA to
contain the spread of novel coronavirus.
Mar-08
Mar-09
Mar-10
Mar-11
Mar-12
Mar-13
Mar-14
Mar-15
Mar-16
Mar-17
Mar-18
Mar-19
Mar-20
Mar-21
Mar-22
Mar-23
Mar-24
Mar-25
Mar-26
Mar-27
Mar-28
Mar-29
Mar-30
Mar-31
Apr-01
Apr-02
Apr-03
Apr-04
Apr-05
Apr-06

largely concentrated in a limited locality, often within a family and its such as water,
extended circle. electricity, gas, In Bhaluka, hundreds of workers of
Experts said discovering a cluster is akin to a fire alarm going off and telephone, and Crown Wears (Pvt) Ltd came to the factory
every moment wasted will increase the chances that the fire may spread. internet will be at Jamirdia Masterbari around 7:00am and
STAFF CORRESPONDENT The new cases were confirmed after 468 found a notice hanging at the gate, said
The faster the infected individuals are identified and sent into quarantine, operational during
tests. Since March 8, when the first case was Nurun Nabi, assistant superintendent of
the lesser are the chances of future cases. The authorities yesterday reported the the shutdown.
reported, the authorities have tested 4,011 police of Bhaluka industrial police.
On Sunday, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and highest number of deaths from the Transportation of
Research (IEDCR) said that community transmission of coronavirus was people. The notice read, “The factory will
coronavirus and confirmed infections in 15 More cases are being detected after agricultural products,
indeed happening, but it was limited to five clusters across the country. districts. fertiliser, insecticides, remain closed until February 14, and
But nothing about the size of the clusters was mentioned -- whether multiple testing facilities started operation the information regarding salary will be
In 24 hours, three people died and in different districts. gasoline, newspapers,
those were consisted of a few individuals, a few households or an entire 35 others tested positive for the virus, food, goods, medical informed them later,” he said.
community which is potentially at risk of contracting and spreading the “The virus is no longer limited to one Seeing the notice, the workers got
health department officials told a daily place. It is spreading gradually,” Prof Abul equipment, and daily
coronavirus. essentials will also be incensed and gathered in front of the gate
briefing. Kalam Azad, DG of the Directorate General
The experts said the government must take strict actions, including outside the purview of and started demonstrating. They blocked
The official death toll is now 12 and of Health Services, told yesterday’s briefing
enforcing lockdown of the clusters, and that any delay in doing so would the suspension. the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
confirmed cases 123. Twelve of the new from his office.
only make things worse and the situation might get out of hand. SEE PAGE 2 COL 6 They also alleged that some 2,000
SEE PAGE 2 COL 1
patients are residents of the capital. SEE PAGE 2 COL 3 SEE PAGE 2 COL 3

Offer namaz CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

at home
Govt issues instructions
Cases drop in
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The government yesterday
said effective immediately,
EU hotspots
no one, except those Italy, Austria eye easing lockdown;
employed by mosques, are
allowed to offer daily or hospitalised UK PM in good spirit;
Juma prayers at mosques
across the country. Japan to declare emergency
The move was taken AFP, London
to contain the spread of
coronavirus, says a circular. The coronavirus pandemic death toll yesterday crossed
In the circular, people 70,000 mark -- some 50,000 of them in Europe -- despite
were asked to offer their early signs that some of Europe’s hardest-hit countries may
daily and the Juma prayers be turning a corner.
at home, instead of going Japan announced an imminent state of emergency and
to the mosques. a trillion-dollar stimulus package, while the US surgeon
The government also general compared the likely impact of the epidemic in the
asked people of other week ahead to 9/11 or Pearl Harbor and France warned of
regions to offer prayers the worst economic slump since World War II.
at home instead of In London, Prime Minister Boris Johnson remained
congregating in their in hospital Monday but was in “good spirits” after being
religious institutions. admitted for tests for “persistent” coronavirus symptoms.
Anyone violating the Johnson tested positive for the virus 10 days ago, and
order will face measures despite his hospitalisation his housing minister Robert
as per the law, said the Jenrick said the leader was still “in charge” of the government
circular. as the country grapples with the continuing crisis.
The religious affairs It was a mixed picture in Europe, where countries
ministry yesterday finally already ravaged by deadly COVID-19 outbreaks reported
came up with the order, lower numbers of new infections and, in Austria and Italy,
saying the instruction began thinking about easing lockdown restrictions.
was issued in light of The new coronavirus has reached almost every corner
the main principle of all of the planet, confining nearly half of humanity to their
religions and in the interest homes and turning life upside down for billions.
of protecting national Police stop vehicles at a checkpoint near Gabtoli bridge yesterday, a day after it said people would not be PHOTO: The worldwide number of fatalities from the novel
security. allowed to enter or leave Dhaka city except for emergencies. The move was taken as part of efforts to slow AMRAN HOSSAIN coronavirus rose to 70,590 on Monday, according to a tally
SEE PAGE 2 COL 6 down coronavirus transmission. SEE PAGE 2 COL 3
2 NEWS DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24, 1426 BS

Covid-19 threatens nearly Boko Haram

bombers kill 7
20 million African jobs in Cameroon
AFP, YAOUNDÉ
AFP, Addis Ababa “Nearly 20 million jobs, both in
the formal and informal sectors, are Seven people were killed when two
Millions of lost jobs, mounting debt
threatened with destruction on the suicide bombers, suspected to be
woes and plunging remittances are
continent if the situation continues,” members of Nigeria’s Boko Haram
among the economic hardships
said the study, which noted that jihadist group, attacked a village
African countries can expect because of
countries relying heavily on tourism in northern Cameroon on Sunday,
the COVID-19 pandemic, the African
and oil production stand to be hit police and a local official said.
Union said in a study published
especially hard. “Two Boko Haram bombers blew
Monday.
themselves up at around 8pm” in the
attack on Amchide, on the border with
12 die in 48 hours
FROM PAGE 12 In Tangail, a local Awami League
Nigeria, a policeman said Monday,
while a local official said a village
village in Chunarughat upazila with chief and two teenagers were among
leader, 55, died in Gopalpur upazila
similar symptoms. the dead.
yesterday.
In Dhaka, a 60-year-old man,
from Narayanganj’s Jamtola Brothers’
In Barishal, a 50-year-old man died
at the coronavirus isolation unit of
Offer namaz
FROM PAGE 1
Road area, died at Kurmitola General Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital The religious affairs ministry in an urgent
Hospital on Sunday. yesterday, said Dr Bakir Hossain, notice, however, said in a bid to continue
He was tested positive for Covid-19 director of the hospital. Jamaat in mosques, a maximum of five
while undergoing treatment at the All the victims’ samples were sent mosque staff, including Imam, Muajjin,
hospital, said Sheikh Mostafa Ali, to IEDCR and other hospitals for tests, Khadem and Khatib, will be able to offer
health officer of Narayanganj City while their respective houses were daily prayers.
Corporation. locked down. In case of the Juma prayers, the
In Cumilla, a 60-year-old man died In Dinajpur, three people, including number will not be more than 10.
at Bijoypur high school under Cumilla Asked, Anis Mahmud, director
a woman, were admitted at the Vehicles ply a street near old Ramna police station in the capital’s Moghbazar yesterday. Many city dwellers general of Islamic Foundation, told The
Sadar Dakkhin upazila yesterday. coronavirus isolation unit at Birampur
The man, hailing from
continue to use their vehicles for essential travel amid the nationwide shutdown. The capital had gone quite Daily Star that those 10 will have to be
Upazila Health Complex over the last staffers of the mosque.
Brahmanbaria, was a day labourer three days. after the shutdown was imposed on March 26 to stem the spread of coronavirus. PHOTO: ANISUR RAHMAN
“But no outsider will be allowed to
in a Cumilla farmland. When the In Patuakhali, local administration enter mosques, neither for the five-time
government enforced the shutdown,
he along with 55 other workers were
stranded and took shelter at the school.
locked down a mosque with nine
members of Tabligh Jamaat on Sunday
night at Bhallavpur village under Sadar
Worrisome leap in deaths, infections
FROM PAGE 1 Prof Azad said the evidence of cluster us.
daily prayers nor for the Juma,” he also
said.
“We want that people from outside
Two houses in the same district upazila. In the morning, Health Minister Zahid transmission was found in five places. “I cannot reply to journalists’ or mosque staffers not to come into
were locked down as a man showed In Noakhali, local health Maleque said four people died from contact with each other and pose
“We’ve found cases in 15 districts. We questions… I am blamed for not risk of transmission of fast-spreading
Covid-19 symptoms. His sample has professionals yesterday collected a coronavirus and 29 others tested consider the places where many patients knowing anything despite being the
been sent to IEDCR for tests. coronavirus or Covid-19,” he added..
sample of an 11-year-old boy at a positive. Asked about the difference have been identified as a cluster. We’ve head of the national committee.”
In Mymensingh, an 80-year-old man No religious gatherings like waj
village of Char Ishwar union in Hatia in the numbers, Prof Azad said, “The found such clusters in Dhaka city,” he He said he had asked the health mahfil, milad, tafsir mahfil and tabligh
died in Haluaghat upazila on Sunday upazila to test for Coronavirus. number of deaths in the past 24 hours said. secretary to ask other officials to discuss gathering will be allowed, said the notice.
afternoon. In Manikganj, 54 Tabligh Jamaat is three. There was confusion regarding In Dhaka, such clusters are in the issues with the health ministry. Meanwhile, the death toll from
In Kishoreganj, a 45-year-old man men and three others from Singair the misspelled name of a deceased. Mirpur and Bashabo. The other clusters The ministry is facing problems while coronavirus rose to 12 in the country,
died in Karimganj upazila on Sunday municipal area were taken into Later, it was confirmed that three people are in Narayanganj, Gaibandha and enforcing lockdown, he said. which reported three more confirmed
night, said Dr Md Mujibur Rahman, institutional quarantine as a member had died, not four.” Madaripur. “Other countries are enforcing deaths yesterday. So far, 123 people
civil surgeon of the district. of the Tabligh Jamaat was found He added that reports of six more The DG said they were putting a lockdowns, but there is dilly dallying in have been infected in Bangladesh, 35 in
In Sirajganj, a 20-year-old garment coronavirus positive. patients were submitted later. place under lockdown when cases were the enforcement in our country. You will the last 24 hours alone.
worker, who returned from Dhaka (Our Correspondents from At the briefing, Prof Meerjady In a number of cases, it was found
detected there. see people thronging in markets every that people are getting infected with
around a week ago, died at Sorappur Gazipur, Narayanganj, Faridpur, Sabrina Flora, director of the Institute HEALTH MINISTER HELPLESS? day. Vehicles, rickshaws and vans are on
village in Tarash upazila yesterday noon. Moulvibazar, Cumilla, Mymensingh, Covid-19 after going to mosques for
of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Zahid Maleque is the chief of the the roads. You will find no shortage of prayers.
In Joypurhat, a 28-year-old man Pabna, Dinajpur, Tangail, Barisal, Research (IEDCR), said among the new National Committee on Covid-19. people in markets in the morning and
died at Binnipara village in Panchbibi In the notice, the religious affairs
Patuakhali, Noakhali and Manikganj cases, 11 are aged between 41 and 50 “I have been made the chairman of afternoon.” ministry said Saudi Arabia has stopped
upazila yesterday afternoon, said Civil contributed to the story.) and six are 21 and 30. Thirty of them are the national committee as the health About garment workers trudging the entry of foreign Muslims into
Surgeon Dr Selim Mia. male, she said. minister. However, the decisions are back to Dhaka in hordes, he said, “We the Holy Makkah Al-Mukarramah
Of the detected patients, the taken on behalf of the committee do not want to see such a thing in the and Madina Munawara temporarily
Draw up strategy to contain it authorities have been able to trace the
source of infection of 88. How the
without our [health ministry]
knowledge,” he told a discussion of
future again. And decisions should be
taken after coordinating with us in the
following the opinions of Muslim
scholars after the outbreak of Covid-19
others got infected remains unknown, healthcare professionals. future. in the country.
FROM PAGE 1 level, he said, “Not yet, but [it] will be After a cabinet meeting, Cabinet
They talked about India for an soon.” she said. “Other than the health issues, “If transmission spreads to all places,
The capital has the highest number Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam in a
example. The country is currently Officials at the DGHS and the nothing is discussed with us. Even we will not be able to accommodate video message urged Muslims to offer
enforcing a strict lockdown of IEDCR declined to say how many of infections. Of the 123 cases, 64 are decisions like the closure of factories, [patients in the hospitals]. So, we namaj on Shab-e-Barat next Friday
communities or neighbourhoods of people were traced and tracked in Dhaka. The second highest cases, 23, prayers at the mosques and suspension have to be sincere and make specific at their respective houses, instead of
Covid-19 positive clusters. as suspected cases following are in Narayanganj. of transportation are not discussed with decisions.” mosques, saying it is a nafl prayer.
But there has been no such strategy identification of confirmed Covid-19
in Bangladesh yet and it is almost
entirely up to the local administration
to handle the situation as they see fit,
patients.
Prof Mozaherul Huq, former
regional adviser of World Health
25 hurt as RMG workers, police clash in M’singh
they said. Organization’s (WHO) South East FROM PAGE 1 from yesterday, he said. not to be named. which produce Personal Protective
Talking to The Daily Star, Be-Nazir Asia region, said the immediate need workers were terminated who did not He added that they talked to the “At the same time, I have also Equipment and masks could also
Ahmed, former director of (disease now is to lockdown certain areas and join the work, said the ASP. But their workers in the morning and convinced finished the process of paying salaries continue their operations.
control) at the Directorate General then trace and track those who might claim could not be verified as the them to take their salaries on April 8. to the workers. My factory usually pays Talking to this newspaper, many
of Health Services (DGHS), said the came in contact with coronavirus workers failed to give details about the But they suddenly became agitated, salaries to the workers on the seventh RMG workers at Ashulia and Savar
government should act immediately patients. terminated workers. which might be fuelled by some and the eighth of each month,” he said. expressed anger over keeping their
and strictly to bring the cluster “Following enforcement of the On information, police rushed to outsiders, alleged the official. But he Rubana Huq, president of factories open.
transmission to zero. lockdown, all the people in that the spot and talked to the workers. denied any attack on garment workers Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Jasmine Tara, a factory worker in
“Lockdown should be enforced area should be tested. If anyone Superintendent of Industrial Police by their men. and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Ashulia which was open yesterday,
but at the same time epidemiological tests positive, that person should be Saheb Ali Pathan met the factory RMG FACTORIES REMAIN OPEN in a WhatsApp message yesterday said said it was not possible to work at the
intervention is a must,” he said. sent into quarantine. For the cluster authorities, and it was finalised that More than 130 garment units were in line with the government factory maintaining social distancing
He suggested that geographic system, institutional quarantine is the workers’ salaries would be paid open in Savar and Ashulia areas shutdown, the BGMEA and the as they had to work very closely with
quarantine, social distancing measures, must,” he said. on March 8. But the workers refused yesterday, according to industrial BKMEA were recommending closure each other.
enhanced active surveillance, testing Many countries have discovered it and continued their agitation, said police. of all factories until April 14. “I am in fear of being infected with
all suspected cases, isolation of all a large cluster and in most of them, the ASP. The factory owners have been Factories making PPE and having coronavirus, thinking that some of my
cases, quarantine of contacts and a the number of Covid-19 cases shot up They then began throwing brick operating their units over two reasons, urgent shipment will need to inform colleagues have joined the work after
well thought out strategy should be after identification of the infected and chunks at police and the factory, including finishing the work orders their respective association for returning their village homes,” she
adopted. contact tracing began. and police went for action to bring for emergency shipments and paying continuing operations after complying said.
“If this intervention is successful Till April 4, South Korea has the situation under control around salaries to their workers. with full heath and safety requirement, Abdur Rahman, another garment
then it can be replicated in other mapped 83 percent of its cases to 9:00am, said the police official, Mahmud Naser Jony, additional she said. worker at Ashulia, said there was no
places or if there is any error that can some clusters. More than 51 percent adding that 24 teargas shells and 34 superintendent of police of Dhaka Authorised dealer bank branches public transport on roads.”In this
be addressed. But the point is if we of the country’s cases originated from rubber bullets were fired during the Industrial Police-1, told The Daily Star will operate special hours as requested situation, we have to come to the
fail to contain it at the cluster level, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. And incident. that 130 factories were operating in by the associations. So, all factories are factory on foot.”
the situation will be out of control,” most of the infections were allegedly Some workers alleged that a group Savar and Ashulia areas. About 10 of requested to pay salary by April 16, she He added that the factory authorities
he warned. brought to the church by a 61-year-old of outsiders, believed to be loyal to the the factories were large, he said. said. told them that they had emergency
In India, the health ministry woman who ignored her symptoms factory authorities, and security men He told this newspaper over AKM Salim Osman, president of shipments for which they reopened the
adapted to a cluster containment and attended the church, according to and staffers of the factory attacked phone that workers of Ha-Meem Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers factory, but they were yet to set the date
strategy to contain the disease within international media. them with bamboo sticks. group attacked factory staffers and and Exporters Association (BKMEA), when their salaries would be paid.
a defined geographic area by early In Austria, the Ischgl Ski Resort is They also claimed over 20 workers vandalised its two units at Ashulia’s said it was not possible to say the exact Khairul Mamun Mintu, general
detection of cases, breaking the chain said to have been linked to 600 cases. were injured in police action and they Norshinghapur, demanding closer of number of opened factories. secretary of Garment Workers’ Trade
of transmission and thus preventing A funeral in George Town, Albany, took treatment at local clinics. factories and salary. A good number of knitwear units Union Centre, said a countrywide
the spread of the virus. US may have resulted in more than Police official Nabi said three During the incident, some police were open yesterday, he said by phone.
constables -- Masud Rana, Sanjoy shutdown was going on to slow down
Replying to a query, DGHS Director 600 infections. personnel were injured, he said, adding Salim added that the factory the transmission of coronavirus.
General Abul Kalam said, “We are The Osaka Live Music Venue in Kumar Borman, and Tanvir Ahmed that the factories were closed later. owners were running their units
-- were admitted to Bhaluka Upazila In this situation, the factories owners
learning new things every day. We will Japan is directly linked to 80 cases. Additional police have been despite issuing closure notice because should not open the factories. “If any
do whatever needed to contain the A dinner party in Singapore is Health Complex. deployed in the area, he added. some of them had emergency
The outsiders also snatched the worker is infected with coronavirus,
spread of Covid-19.” linked to 43 cases, according to media Talking to The Daily Star, a factory shipments and had to give salaries to
mobile phone, camera, and ID card of it will be difficult to control the
Asked whether any strategy was reports. owner at Ashulia, said he kept open his their workers.
Johirul Islam Jewel, Bhaluka upazila situation,” he said.
already adopted aiming at the cluster unit mainly for two reasons, including The Department of Inspection for
correspondent of Daily Jugantor. Khairul urged the factory owners to
finishing the work orders and Factories and Establishments (DIFE)
close the factories and save the lives of
Put hotspots Police rescued and handed over those
to the journalist.
Talking to The Daily Star, Zakaria
completing the process of payment of
the workers for the month of March.
He said his buyer was putting
could not be reached by phone for
comments on closing factories.
Earlier, the DIFE in a circular said
workers.
As of Sunday, $3.04 billion worth of
FROM PAGE 1 Sohel, general manager (Admin, HR pressure on him for completion of the factories could run their operations garment export orders were cancelled
Hasina asked the cabinet secretary and and the administration have been and Compliance) of the factory, said work orders and quick shipment. if they had work orders from the by international retailers, according to
the principal secretary to sit with the directed to take measures for stricter they opened the factory on Sunday. “So, I kept open my factory and international retailers and brands data compiled by the BGMEA.
owners and work out a plan, with a implementation of the directives to But following the central decision, completed work orders of nearly $3.5 with adequate health safety measures Our Mymensingh and Savar
timeframe, for reopening the factories maintain social distancing.” they announced closure of the factory million,”the factory owner said, asking for the workers, and the factories correspondents contributed to this report.
taking into account the overall He said since the coronavirus
situation, a minister who was at the situation has worsened, it would
cabinet meeting told The Daily Star.
At the cabinet meeting, the
ministers discussed the ongoing
in no way be possible to keep the
situation under control without the
wholehearted support of the people.
Cases drop in EU hotspots Press out of purview
FROM PAGE 1
shutdown and that it could extend Sources told The Daily Star that FROM PAGE 1 “We’re currently seeing rapid hard with analysts warning millions of Besides, kitchen markets, restaurants,
since the situation was worsening Hasina also asked Home Minister compiled by Johns Hopkins University. increases of new infections particularly jobs will be lost despite unprecedented drugstores, and hospitals will also
gradually. Asaduzzaman Khan to take measures More than 1.2 million declared cases in urban areas like Tokyo and Osaka,” stimulus programmes. remain open, the circular added.
Sources said at the meeting said the so that prisoners who have served a have now been registered around the he said. Germany announced that the Offices can be opened in case of
PM cautioned that outbreak might long time could be released. world since the epidemic first emerged But there was hope in parts of government would guarantee loans urgent need, and pharmaceuticals
deteriorated in mid-April and asked An official of the home ministry in China in December. Europe after a weekend that saw Italy for small businesses but France was and export-oriented mills and
all to make all-out preparation to told The Daily Star yesterday that the About three quarters of all deaths reporting its lowest death toll in two gloomy, with Finance Minister Bruno le factories will remain open if
tackle the situation. ministry had prepared a list of over have been clocked in Europe, and the weeks and France its fewest dead in a Maire estimating that the 2020 crunch necessary.
On March 23, the government 3,000 inmates. “We will send the list US now has the most recorded cases week. would be “far beyond” the previous Earlier, a circular signed by
announced closure of all public and to the law ministry soon to scrutinise of any country -- along with a steadily “The curve has started its descent post-1945 worst case. cabinet division secretary was
private offices from March 26 to April legal issues,” the official said wishing rising death toll. and the number of deaths has started Iran, whose economy has suffered issued on March 24 which cited the
4 to contain the spread of the virus. anonymity. “This is going to be the hardest and to drop,” said top Italian health official the double blow of the virus and newspapers and essential services
Rail and launch services were Hours after the PM’s directive the saddest week of most Americans’ Silvio Brusaferro, adding the next phase punishing US sanctions, said it would will remain out of the purview of the
suspended on March 24 and public to lockdown Dhaka city, Dhaka lives, quite frankly,” US Surgeon could be a gradual easing of a strict allow “low-risk” economic activity to
transport were suspended from March Metropolitan Police (DMP) in a shutdown until April 4.
General Jerome Adams told Fox News month-long lockdown. resume as daily infection rates fell for a
26. circular asked all shops, kitchen ahead of what is expected to be a tough The government announced the
In Spain, nurse Empar Loren said: fifth straight day.
The prime minister on March 31 markets, superstores, and business week for already hard-pressed American closure of all public and private
“The situation is more stable. The But some in poorer countries
said her government decided to extend centres that sell essentials to open at healthcare providers. offices from March 26 to April 4 after
number of patients in intensive care is are already chafing against curfews
the ongoing nationwide closure until 6:00am and close at 7:00pm every day “This is going to be our Pearl Harbor not growing much anymore, and we are destroying their livelihoods. which all public transport services
April 9. The closure was extended until further notice. moment, our 9/11 moment, only it’s starting to discharge quite a few.” “How can anyone stay home without were suspended.
again to April 14. It also asked convenient stores to not going to be localised.” Hard-hit Spain recorded deaths down anything to eat?” asked Garcia Landu, On April 1, the government
UNB reports that Cabinet close by 2:00pm. In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a fourth straight day yesterday-- but a motorcycle taxi driver in Angola’s extended the ongoing shutdown
Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam It said pharmacies and emergency said hospitals in Japan face a “critical still logged 637 fatalities. bustling capital, Luanda. until April 11.
at a press briefing after the meeting service providers would be outside the situation” and that an emergency could The effective mothballing of the “Better to die of this disease or Later on Sunday, the shutdown
said, “Law enforcement agencies purview of the restrictions. be declared as early as today. global economy is beginning to hit gunshot than to starve to death.” was further extended until April 14.
DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24, 1426 BS CITY 3

Don’t admit or evaluate What if social distancing

students without exams
UGC asks private universities
MOHIUDDIN ALAMGIR 24 that they would not be holding final
is not an option?
The University Grants Commission (UGC)
exams for the spring semester, and asked Lack of space, income push Geneva Camp residents to uncertainty
faculty members to complete students’
yesterday asked private universities to stop grading based on coursework completed
assigning their current students grades so far.
through online exams and evaluation, However, Brac University Pro-Vice
and to stop enrolling new students sans Chancellor Prof Mohammad Tamim on
admission tests, due to the shutdown of Sunday afternoon confirmed to The Daily
educational institutions in light of the Star that they had moved away from
novel coronavirus outbreak in the country. their earlier decision, and have formed
“Several universities have decided to a committee to find a way out of the
assign grades to students without holding situation.
semester final exams and evaluation, and Meanwhile, three private universities
enroll new students without admission -- IUB, United International University
tests. This is unethical,” UGC said in a (UIU), and the University of Liberal Arts
statement yesterday. “We urge them to stop Bangladesh (ULAB) -- have decided to
these activities immediately,” it added. enroll students for the summer semester
Top UGC officials said they made the without an admissions test, based only on
statement following a report on The Daily their SSC and HSC results, officials of the
Star published on Sunday. universities had told The Daily Star last
Two reputed private universities -- Brac week.
University and Independent University, UGC, in their yesterday’s statement, said
Bangladesh (IUB) -- had decided on March SEE PAGE 4 COL 1

UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS IN MALDIVES Courts’ closure

Over 300 Bangladeshis extended till
April 14
seek voluntary return STAFF CORRESPONDENT
This aerial view of Geneva Camp shows how congested the place is. Maintaining
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Chief Justice Syed Mahmud social distancing here during the time of Covid-19 is quite difficult, simply due to its
More than 300 undocumented Bangladeshi migrant Hossain has extended the architecture. Beyond this, there’s a lack of caution from the inhabitants that also fuel
workers have reportedly applied for their voluntary closure of all courts across worries about the coming weeks, inset. PHOTO: ANISUR RAHMAN, MUNTAKIM SAAD
repatriation from the Maldives amid fear of coronavirus the country, including
outbreak in the island nation. the appellate and High
MUNTAKIM SAAD and RASHIDUL HASAN Geneva Camp, a densely-populated “This is the usual scenario goats and chickens -- and around
Maldivian news portal Sun Online yesterday published Court divisions, till April
a report in this regard, citing the country’s economic 14 due to the outbreak of settlement of more than 40,000 here. We have no option. When 100 people share a single latrine.
It’s a melting pot of activities.
ministry. coronavirus. Urdu-speaking people, holds the electricity goes off, people can’t Each family with eight to 10
Children are playing on the alleys,
The development came a day after Bangladesh Foreign Supreme Court Registrar same scenario. The narrow alleys stay inside (due to the heat). You members on average live in eight
groups of youths are playing dice,
Minister AK Abdul Momen reportedly said four to five General Md Ali Akbar inside the camp, where darkness would have seen more crowd at feet by 10 feet single rooms. The
adults gossiping on the street, and
countries including the Maldives have reached out to issued a circular yesterday prevails even in daytime, are always night,” said Parvez, who was sitting rooms have no windows. Residents
opened shops are crowded by both
Bangladesh to take back undocumented nationals from in this regard. bustling with crowds. at a local shop while gossiping with elevate their beds to make space for
buyers and onlookers.
their respective countries. The circular said This is somewhat unusual at eight others. possessions underneath, because
The whole of Mohammadpur’s
According to the Sun Online report, the Maldivian “general holidays” have a time when the government has “If anyone of us catches the virus, there’s nowhere else to put them.
government will issue travel documents for the been declared till April 13 declared a countrywide shutdown, the whole camp will be affected,” Under such poor living
undocumented workers with the assistance of Bangladesh and a scheduled holiday forcing everyone to stay home in a said Tipu Sultan, a resident. conditions, terms like physical
embassy and also bear the workers’ travel costs. will be observed on April SCAN bid to contain the novel coronavirus This fear has gripped around distancing, social distancing and
Meanwhile, Maldivian National Emergency Operations 14 on the occasion of THE QR outbreak. 7,500 families living in the camp personal hygiene appear quite far
Center on Sunday announced that the Maldivian Pahela Baishakh. However, the intermingling of on 12.60 bighas of land. fetched.
government had initiated an operation to temporarily The circular was issued CODE TO the camp residents exposes them Also known as Bihari Camp, “How will we maintain a
relocate migrant workers who are living in congested in line with the government WATCH to the risk of contracting the virus, the conditions in the densely ‘lockdown’ here? You see…”
shared quarters in order to protect the migrant population notification issued on April which can be especially potent for populated camp are dire. Houses questions one Parul, pointing
from a potential Covid-19 outbreak, says the report. 5, extending the closure of VIDEO the densely populated camp where are separated by two-foot wide to her tiny room that she shares
SEE PAGE 4 COL 4 all offices till April 14. healthcare isn’t always available. passageways -- shared by residents, SEE PAGE 4 COL 4

Healthcare made easy Office timing

rescheduled
Telemedicine service Pulse bringing doctors’ for Ramadan
appointments to smartphones UNB, Dhaka
CITY DESK During the pandemic, citizens have The government has
been grappling for access to healthcare, rescheduled the office
Telemedicine is an innovative sector of timing for the upcoming
while most service providers find it hard
healthcare that allows patients to consult Ramadan from 9am to
doctors remotely. Now, it is proving useful to manage the excess demand. “Elderly
citizens and patients with co-morbidity 3:30pm for all government,
during the coronavirus pandemic. Pulse semi-government,
Healthcare Services is one such cloud- are at high risk now. Pulse platform can be
used as virtual chamber for our physicians,” autonomous and semi-
based telemedicine platform that has come autonomous institutions.
forward. mentioned a press statement from the
organisation. The decision was taken at
Pulse launched its services last year to the weekly cabinet meeting
connect doctors and patients through a Sonia Bashir Kabir, co-founder of Pulse,
held with Prime Minister
secure, online video conferencing platform. said, “Amid the spread of Covid-19, the
Sheikh Hasina in the chair
It also initiated a digital helpline in February. adoption of telemedicine has shifted into
at her official residence
With frontline healthcare professionals hyper-drive globally over the past month,
Gono Bhaban yesterday.
being at high risk battling the crisis, the with virtual healthcare interactions.
Cabinet Secretary
objective, according to founder Rubaba We believe Pulse can make a difference
Khandker Anwarul Islam
Dowla, was to create a robust platform that especially in rural areas where access to said this at a press briefing
allows patients to consult doctors from healthcare is limited.” at Secretariat after the
home in any part of the country, be it rural ”I consulted an expert physician meeting.
or urban. specialising in internal medicine through Banks, insurance and
“Telemedicine could help solve problems Pulse. I received the prescription quite other financial institutions,
without overcrowding hospitals and easily as well,” said Rowsan Ara (49) of post office, railway,
putting people at further risk,” said Rubaba, Gazipur. hospitals, state-owned
Proper functioning of the agriculture sector is crucial in these times. Even when one stays home, one still has “All you need is a laptop or smartphone She said her husband has also been industries and factories and
to eat, and it is essential that farmers keep up the good work they do all year round. Though market prices are with internet access and you can consult using the platform and received satisfactory other companies will fix
down, these honest souls are still at it, even if for the sake of their own livelihoods. This photo was taken from with over 150 general physicians or even service. “I think this platform will be their own office timing for
Chattogram’s Halishahar area on Sunday. specialists anytime, from anywhere.” SEE PAGE 4 COL 3 Ramadan, he added.
PHOTO: RAJIB RAIHAN

DU student dies IMPROVING CROSS-BORDER CONNECTIVITY

after hospitals AIIB approves $404m loan
‘denied treatment’ S C TAFF ORRESPONDENT

DU CORRESPONDENT The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a $404
million loan for upgrading the Sylhet-Tamabil highway to four lanes,
A Dhaka University aiming to improve Bangladesh’s intercity travel and cross-border
student, who had been connectivity.
suffering from cancer, The board of AIIB approved the loan at its April 3 meeting, AK
died yesterday after several Mohammad Fazlul Karim, additional chief engineer of the Roads and
hospital authorities Highways Department (RHD), told The Daily Star yesterday.
allegedly denied him Of the total loan, $369 million will go for the project directly while
treatment in fear that he rest would be used for other expenditure including paying the interest,
had coronavirus.
Fazlul Karim, also the project director, said.
Suman Chakma, a student of Institute
Project funds will go towards the construction, operation and
of Education and Reaserach, breathed his
maintenance of roads, in addition to institutional and project
last at his village home in Khagrachhari at
management support, according to an AIIB press release.
8:30pm, said his father Supen Chakma.
“As the first stand-alone transport project supported by AIIB in
“Suman was diagnosed with lung cancer
in 2018 and took treatment at hospitals Bangladesh, the project will allow the Bank to gain experience in cross-
of India and Bangladesh. He even started border connectivity in South Asia,” said AIIB Vice President (Investment
attending class this year after he started to Operations) DJ Pandian.
feel well,” Supen said. “At the same time, the project will allow the country to improve
“Suman came home after the university sustainability and potentially attract private sector participation and
vacated it’s dorms in March. Soon community involvement in road maintenance.”
afterwards he fell ill, so we took him to The upgrade of the 56.16-kilometre national highway between Sylhet
Dhaka,” he added. They went to several and the Tamabil border crossing will improve overall commuter safety
hospitals but every one of them to admit and reduce travel times for road users, including freight vehicles and
him. buses, RHD officials said.
“After that we brought him back home The Sylhet-Tamabil road (about 56.16 kilometres) is part of the
and was giving homeopathic medicine that Dhaka-Narsingdi-Sylhet-Tamabil National Highway corridor with a total
we collected from Chattogram. Stock of length of 286 kilometres. The government is working to upgrade Dhaka-
that medicine also finished and we couldn’t Sylhet Highway with the finance of Asian Development Bank.
source more, as vehicular movement was Tamabil, a hilly area in Sylhet across the border of the Indian state
suspended. We lost him due to lack of of Meghalaya, about 5km from Jaflong, is a popular tourist destination.
proper treatment and medicine,” said Supen. The corridor is strategically important for sub-regional connectivity
Suman had posted about his with the seven northeastern states of India, as well as Bhutan, Myanmar
predicament on Facebook on March 26. “I and China.
have not been infected with coronavirus but Fazlul Karim said review work for the detail design is almost done and
this situation tells I’d have to die because of they have a plan to start the physical work of the project within October
the virus,” his status read. SEE PAGE 4 COL 3
4 CITY DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24, 1426 BS

2 found dead in Ctg ACC chairman Parliament goes into What if social distancing
STAFF CORRESPONDENT, Ctg mourns
Two people were found dead in Chattogram city yesterday. Saifur’s death session on April 18 FROM PAGE 3
with seven other family members. Beside
the camp while the authorities are hardly
taking any measures to disinfect it.
The deceased were identified as Selim Uddin (37) from STAFF CORRESPONDENT people, the room hosts everything from Jamshed Khan, a butcher, said they
STAFF CORRESPONDENT utensils, fridge, to a TV. Care work like watched the guidelines on television.
Satkania upazila and Prafulla Das (50) from Rangunia
upazila. The 11th Jatiya Sangsad will go into its seventh session cooking, eating and washing dishes? It’s all “But in the camp, where can we find a place
Anti-Corruption
Police said the body of Selim was recovered from the on April 18. The session will begin at 5pm on the day, done in this room. to maintain this distance?” he questioned.
Commission (ACC)
port city’s Tigerpass area. according to a press release of the parliament secretariat. A few water drums have been installed Not only hygiene, residents said most
Chairman Iqbal Mahmood
He was an assistant manager of “Zirat Fashion House” President Abdul Hamid yesterday convened the session at different points in the camp for hand people living in the camp are now jobless
has mourned the untimely
in Bayezid Bostami area, said family and the law enforcers. as per his power under article 72(1) of the constitution. washing during the crisis, but the number and they have no income now. Popular
death of the commission
Khulshi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Pranab A top official of parliament secretariat said due to is not adequate. restaurants for kebab and biriyani are
director Jalal Saifur
Chowdhury said Selim fell sick and lay on the ground constitutional obligation, JS is going to hold the session. Washi Alam Bashir, president of closed. People who earned their livelihood
Rahman.
while he was about to board a bus to his workplace. According to the constitution, there can be a maximum Mohajir Rehabilitation and Development as barbers, butchers, restaurant staffs,
Saifur, deputy secretary,
Police patrolling the area and his family members of 60 days’ gap between the end of a session and the Movement (MRDB), a voluntary rickshaw pullers, transport workers and
had been carrying out his
rushed him to Chattogram Medical College Hospital beginning of the next one. organisation working in the camp, said no automobile mechanics are hit hard by loss
duty on deputation at ACC,
where the doctors said he died from a stroke, said the The last session of parliament that started on January 9 masks, soap or hand sanitisers have been of income during the ongoing countrywide
reads a press release.
family. and was prorogued on February 18. given to camp residents yet, neither by the shutdown that started from March 26.
Iqbal said, “ACC has lost
government nor any private initiative. Most the families are facing serious
Prafulla Das was lying on a road near Oli Kha mosque a skilled, competent and
“Local councillors provided 10 drums economic hardship as the general holiday
in Chawkbazar, said Sub-Inspector Bodiul Alam of intelligent officer.”
Chawakbar Police Station.
He used to pull rickshaw at daytime and work as a night
Saying that the death
has caused an irreparable
Healthcare made and two sacks of bleaching powder for
hand washing on March 25,” he said.
was extended till April 11.
Locals claimed the authorities are yet to
FROM PAGE 3 The number is inadequate, but also, most come up with enough food or any financial
guard at a building in Sholoshar area, said the SI. loss, the ACC chairman
especially helpful for people in remote areas of the people do not even use it due to lack of assistance for them.
After dropping a passenger, he suddenly fell onto the expressed sympathy to
country,” added Rowsan. awareness, he added. Seeing this correspondent, many camp
road, said the police officer, adding that locals informed Saifur’s bereaved family
Pulse launched a special only 24/7 hotline package “Few days back, five camp residents dwellers surrounded him and told their
the law enforcers of the incident. members.
for Tk 99, which provides access to doctors 24/7 through returned from India. We told them to stay tales of sufferings and worries about the
On arrival at the hospital, the doctors said he died from Saifur died at a hospital
its call centre in partnership with Diabetic Association of at home. They abided by the orders,” Bashir coming days, fearing starvation.
the same reason. in the capital yesterday
Bangladesh. This service is available at mypulse.com.bd said. One Faruque said he worked at a barber
morning.
and on Google Play and Apple stores. He said the local councillor and their shop in Dhanmondi and maintained his
Mymensingh organisation gave a few food packs for the
Don’t admit road crash kills
The platform features fully encrypted live call and video
consultation with certified professionals, said a press
release. It also allows e-prescriptions, instant messaging
needy on Wednesday, but it is far less than
necessary.
eight-member family. But all are closed
now. “How will I give my family food
now?” Faruque said with a look of gloom.
FROM PAGE 3
with doctors, electronic file sharing for patients’ history etc. He also said they have set up bamboos Camp dwellers said they might soon
an earlier statement of their on March 24 had encouraged
teachers to give online classes.
2 RMG workers Many other telemedicine services are coming forward at entry points to restrict movement. experience a grave crisis if immediate help
OUR CORRESPONDENT, during this pandemic as well, whose information is Additionally, several locals said there from the government and non-government
“We urged them to hold online classes to keep students Mymensingh available at corona.gov.bd. were no health awareness campaigns at organisations does not arrive.
in touch with education activities and recover the losses
due to the current crisis,” UGC Chairman Kazi Shahidullah Two garment workers were
told The Daily Star.
“We did not urge them to give exams, or do any kind
of evaluation online. Many students do not have internet
killed in a road accident in
Jamirdia area on Dhaka-
Mymensingh highway in
AIIB approves
FROM PAGE 3
Over 300 Bangladeshis
access or they now out of internet coverage. How will they Bhaluka upazila yesterday. or November this year. FROM PAGE 3 Dr Momen said though the number of
participate in these exams and evaluation processes?” he The deceased are “However, everything would depend on the coronavirus The Maldives has a population of some countries which came up with the request is
added. Harun-or-Rashid (32) situation,” he added. 200,000 migrant workers, most of whom few, but it is a pressure on the government
In most private universities, semester final exam carries and Jewel Mia (35). Both The overall objective of the “Improvement of the Sylhet- are from Bangladesh, and live in congested at this critical moment. “We are under
30 to 40 percent marks of the whole semester. were working at a garment Tamabil Road to Four-lane Highway” project is to generate shared quarters in the capital, Male’, it says. pressure to some extent. All the countries
He also said if university authorities continue their factory in Bhaluka upazila. economic benefits by the facilitation the faster, safer and The migrant population has been are under pressure,” he told reporters.
admission process amid this crisis, it will send a bad signal Quoting locals, Officer- more economic links between Sylhet and Tamabil, read noted by the Human Rights Watch to He said the foreign minister of Maldives
to guardians. “We will have time to sort out this issues in-Charge of Bhaluka the project documents. be particularly vulnerable to a highly had a phone conversation with him,
when normalcy returns. This is high time to act together to Highway Police Al Besides, the border crossing at Tamabil -- between infectious disease such as COVID-19 where he conveyed the situation about the
face the crisis that the country or the world have never have Mahmud Adnan said the Bangladesh and India -- has the potential to generate “because they live in congested shared undocumented Bangladesh nationals.
faced in the past,” he added. accident took place around significantly increased traffic, which would have a positive quarters and do work that does not make it The Maldives foreign minister highlighted
Private universities enroll students in three semesters 10am when a Dhaka- economic affect for people. possible to practice strict social distancing.” the downfall of tourism business and
-- spring (January to April), summer (May to August) and bound truck lost control Further economic benefits could be expected from the On bringing back expatriate closure of restaurants there, and assured
fall (September to December). About 25 percent of total and crushed them while increased use of the road corridor by commercial traffic Bangladeshis, Foreign Minister AK Abdul his Bangladesh counterpart of taking good
students admitted enroll in the summer semester. they were walking on the travelling to and from other parts of the country and cross- Momen on Sunday said the government care of the documented nationals. Maldives
There are 105 private universities in the country, of footpath, killing them on border traffic travelling from eastern India to Dhaka, it will take steps case by case, considering the initially urged the undocumented nationals
which 97 are licensed to carry out academic activities. the spot. added. ground reality, according to UNB. to get registered, he said.

Two ‘yaba traders’ ‘Rise above petty interest’

FROM PAGE 12 FROM PAGE 12 possess more than 100 bighas of land. He Bangladesh government has decided to STORMS TAKE TOLL OF 113 LIVES SO
Jhimongkhali area near the Naf river early yesterday around quarrel and are indulging in corruption. says the ceiling will be reduced further. form all-party committees up to union level FAR
1:00am to recover arms and yaba, said the OC. He warns that any act of corruption and CHINA WILL REALISE MISTAKE for relief and rehabilitation works in the 113 persons are killed and 3460 others
Sensing the presence of law enforcers, the cohorts of indiscipline by any member of Awami Bangabandhu today hopes that China will country. AHM Kamaruzzaman, Minister injured in tornadoes and nor’westers in
the arrestee opened fire on police, forcing them to retaliate League will be strongly dealt with. come to realise the mistake in its stand for Relief and Rehabilitation, says that the different places of the country over the
triggering a gunfight, he added. Bangabandhu comments that he has on Bangladesh and will accept the reality broad-based committees, to be reorganised last few days. Disclosing this at a press
Mahmudullah and another attacker sustained bullet no passion for anything and has the moral of Bangladesh. It will be wise for China to over the existing ones, will include five conference today, Minister for Relief and
wounds during the gunfight and were rushed to Teknaf strength to give up anything and says, come forward with the recognition early, he additional members comprising of three Rehabilitation AHM Kamaruzzaman adds
Upazila Health Complex, OC Prodip said. “Prime minister-ship means nothing to a comments.
man who can brave death.” from Awami League and two from those that 80,200 houses are damaged either
Doctors at the health complex referred them to Cox’s Bangabandhu also advises Bhutto to political parties which had participated completely or partly by the storms. He also
Bazar General Hospital, where doctors declared them Speaking about the economic policy,
recognise Bangladesh and attain friendship in the Liberation Struggle and have been informs that the government has already
dead, he said, adding that three cases are being filed in this Bangabandhu says that his party’s
with India through negotiation so that the supporting the government in its task of taken emergency relief measures to aid the
regard. commitment to socialism is reflected in
the nationalisation of banks, insurance sub-continent can be declared a war-free national reconstruction. He further informs affected families.
and other big industries including jute zone. that the government has so far spent nearly SOURCES: April 8, 1972 issues of Ittefaq,
Tk 51 crore for relief and rehabilitation The Bangladesh Observer, Azad, Morning
Use online services
FROM PAGE 12
and textile. He makes it very clear that no
individual will be allowed to acquire and
ALL-PARTY RELIEF BODY AT UNION
LEVEL work in Bangladesh. News, Dainik Bangla and Purbodesh.

adding that his aim is to make young kids love poetry.

In such trying times online activists can create awareness
in social media, he said and urged carriers to offer free
internet to people.
“Many university students do house tutoring. But that
Scrambling for survival
FROM PAGE 12 customers pay me Tk 500-1,000 in advance finding it difficult to sell as there is little Some successful online businesses who
has stopped due to coronavirus. As many people’s income These businesses ranged from selling clothes, on ordering a piece of jewellery worth Tk demand for fashion products and most developed loyal customers also took up one
has reduced, they are struggling to pay for mobile data.” makeup, toiletries, and fashion accessories 3,000-5,000. But I have to make full payment delivery companies aren’t working amid the or more physical outlets as they expanded.
He also urged folk musicians to create awareness on the to providing beauty services and homemade for the shipment,” said Tamanna. countrywide shutdown. They are also suffering, especially those
dangers of coronavirus online. meals. “While some are understanding about the Although some imported clothing who already dropped a large investment on
“Folk artistes are having a hard time. So online Often, these were the women’s only situation, other customers are messaging me entrepreneurs were able to stock up for clothes for the upcoming Pahela Baishakh.
programmes can be arranged for them and mobile data source of income and are run with their own for their products but I don’t have an answer Pahela Baishakh and Eid, the peak season for “I spent around Tk 15 lakhs for my shop
can be made free for them to use on social media.” funds or small loans, and the businesses see for them,” she said. selling clothes, they say the same. and online page,” said Jenifa Chowdhury,
People can spend their valuable time in the virtual a small but steady income these women have “I can’t take this anxiety anymore. If this Dareen Rahman, owner of the Pakistani owner of Shamu Lifestyle, a clothing brand.
world in a meaningful way. There are thousands of online come to depend on. situation continues, I will not be able to clothing Facebook page “Rainbow”, said she Recently having taken up a physical outlet,
courses in music, computer literacy, dancing, cooking and The current coronavirus outbreak, support myself, as I completed my studies earlier sold at least three outfits a day and she now has the salaries of her staff to think
many other things that can be of interest to people. however, means people are shopping less, seven years ago and have never had a formal received around 25 enquiries. These days, about at a time when she has zero sales.
“People can start the online classes and enrich if at all, for anything other than essentials job.” she has no buyers. “It is also a matter of timing, these outfits
themselves.” and deliveries for non-essentials have been Like her, other online business owners, “I got an order after ten days and have will not sell the rest of the year, even if the
Arif, also a renowned online activist, said due to the reduced. Supply has dried up for those who especially those who depended on importing only been getting three to four messages crisis is over soon.”
coronavirus outbreak, all cultural programmes have been depend on goods shipped or brought back goods from China and India, said they inquiring about availability.”
suspended, but many singers are performing live on their
verified pages in social media. “So, people can listen to
from countries such as China and India. are seeing no business until the situation “There are a lot of hate comments on the An act
FROM PAGE 12
Tamanna Jahan, who has been financially improves. posts. People are asking how we can think
them.” independent since her university years, Shely Hasan, the owner of a Facebook of selling clothes in such a situation,” she house rent and other dues. They have to go
Many Bangladeshi people love gossiping. Since staying secretly started a jewellery business on page “Unique Fashion”, sells imported bags added. to their village home and stay there for a
home is currently the best way to stay away from the Facebook in 2014 without informing her in- and shoes from China with the help of a For Dareen, this is the first loss of steady long time. How will they run their families
virus, people can chat in groups or participate in video laws, who were against her working outside Bangladeshi student living there. income in seven years of running her own during this period? So, we gave them the
conferences. the home. “The man who would help me with the business. She has loans to repay, which will next month’s salary.”
She only told them about her business shipments had to return to Bangladesh in become increasingly burdensome if the The government on March 23 announced
after six months when she was able to make mid-January. Since then, my business is situation continues to deteriorate. closure of all government and private offices
some profit, and received permission to completely closed. I would usually bring a “I couldn’t repay my regular loan from March 26 to April 4 to contain spread
continue. Recently, one of her shipments, of coronavirus. Later, the shutdown was
shipment worth Tk 70, 000 every month, instalment of Tk 15,000 at the beginning of
worth Tk 80,000, for her imported Indian extended to April 14. The government also
and double that during occasions like Eid, this month, as I borrowed Tk 100,000 for the
jewellery page “Anjonika” is stuck with the suspended all public transport services.
Baishakh or Puja.” Shely would make a profit business. I also have another monthly loan
carrier in Kolkata. But, division among influential owners
of around Tk 20,000 from every shipment. instalment of Tk 8,000, two credit card bills, over the closure of garment factories and
“Since my business is pre-order based, the Though Shely has some stock, she is and some loans from friends to pay back.” an absence of specific instructions from
the government had sent thousands of
RMG workers into a dangerous scramble
Iran says virus infections Rockets hit oil to get back to Dhaka on April 3, 4, said
stakeholders of the sector.
show ‘gradual’ decline district in southern Braving risk of coronavirus infection,
workers travelled to Dhaka only to find
AFP, Tehran most of their factories closed. Many came to

The trajectory of coronavirus infections in Iran appears to

Iraq; no casualties the capital to collect their due salaries.
REUTERS, Basra The incident drew huge criticism from
have started a “gradual” downward trend, the government different quarters. Even Prime Minister
said Monday, but it warned the disease is far from being Rockets landed near a district that houses Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed serious
under control. foreign workers in Iraq’s oil industry early discontent at the RMG owners over this, said
The COVID-19 outbreak claimed 136 deaths in the past on Monday, including U.S. oil service cabinet sources.
24 hours, bringing Iran’s overall death toll to 3,739, health company Halliburton, but caused no SP Group, which exports RMG products
ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a televised damage or casualties, oil and police sources worth around Tk 500 to 550 crore annually,
news conference. shut down its factories from March 26. The
said.
Iran registered 2,274 new cases of infection over the factories will remain closed until April 30.
Police said three Katyusha rockets were
same period, he said, putting the total number at 60,500 “We started as a small business 30 years
launched around 3 a.m. local time and ago. Our workers and staffers are like our
across the country. hit the Burjesia residential and operations
The figure shows a drop in officially reported new cases family members. So, we have decided to
headquarters west of Iraq’s main southern stand by them,” said Subal.
of the novel coronavirus for the sixth consecutive day after city, Basra. A launcher and 11 unfired rockets
a peak of 3,111 reached on March 31. The workers and employees were very
were found nearby and dismantled by happy to receive two month’s salaries, said
Iran is by far the country most affected by the pandemic security forces, according to the statement. the 70-year-old businessman from Pabna.
in the Middle East, according to official tolls released by An Iraqi employee working with “We also assured them of not sacking
each state. Halliburton said the rockets fell far from anyone from the job and providing Eid
“Due to the intensification of the social distancing the site. The district houses foreign oil bonus. We will try our best to give them
policy, we have seen a gradual and slow decline in the workers and offices of both foreign and salaries if we can’t open factories after this
number of new cases in recent days,” Jahanpour said. Iraqi oil companies, but has been largely month due to the coronavirus situation.”
President Hassan Rouhani reiterated a call for people empty in recent weeks after nearly all He said he would ask his workers and
to stay at home as he warned Iran could be “put back in a foreign personnel were evacuated because employees to join work after the situation
difficult situation” unless people follow guidelines. of the coronavirus pandemic. improves.
DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24 , 1426 BS INTERNATIONAL 5

India eyes over 20,000 tests a day CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

LATEST UPDATES
Modi urges all not to be tired in long fight against virus as 32 die in a day
AGENCIES Elsewhere in South Asia, the medical
infrastructure can be even more inadequate,
India, like a lot of countries plunged into
and authorities are playing catch up as
crisis by the pandemic, is struggling to ramp
testing kits become available to them.
up testing for the coronavirus, but in few
Afghanistan has had 367 cases from the
places would the odds of containing the
2,737 people it has tested.
disease appear so bleak should domestic
In Bangladesh, with a population of 160
transmission start to multiply.
million, the government has faced criticism
Officials hope to be testing 20,000 also over a lack of testing. “We are testing at
people daily by the end of the week, four
times the current rate.
14-15 different places. We will increase the 70,000 DEAD, 50,000 IN EUROPE
number of tests to 1,000-1,500 per day in More than 1.277 million cases, including 70,009 deaths, have
Since India’s first case was confirmed on future,” Health Minister Zahid Malik said
Jan 30, they have only conducted 90,000 been reported in 191 countries and territories around the world
at a briefing on Sunday. The testing rate has since the virus emerged in China in December, according to an
tests, having focused efforts on identifying varied from 300 on Sunday, to barely 50 to
people who had come in contact with AFP tally compiled around 1100 GMT Monday based on official
100 last week. sources. The pandemic has killed more than 50,000 people
anyone who has tested positive. Pakistan’s health ministry said it had
The results show 4,067 people are in Europe, including 15,877 in Italy, 13,055 in Spain, 8,078 in
conducted 35,875 tests so far. It has France and 4,934 in Britain.
infected, and 109 have died of the respiratory the next few weeks as per the plan,” the quarantined 20,000 worshippers and is still
nationwide lockdown ordered by Prime
disease. John Hopkins University data shows
Minister Narendra Modi will have slowed official said. searching for tens of thousands more who JAPAN MULLING STATE OF EMERGENCY
the case and death numbers as 4,314 and Worldwide, more than 1.25 million attended an Islamic gathering in Lahore The Japanese government plans to declare a state of emergency
the spread of the virus in communities,
118 respectively. 32 people died yesterday giving them a chance to catch up in the race people have been reported infected by last month. as early as today as new coronavirus infections spike in areas
and 693 fresh cases were reported in the last to stop a full blown epidemic. COVID-19, and far wealthier countries such as Tokyo and Osaka. It also proposes a massive stimulus
24 hours alone, the highest toll so far. Modi yesterday heaped praise on the than India have been fiercely criticised for CASES AND DEATHS IN SOUTH ASIA package worth $1 trillion (915 billion euros).
Officials believe the three-week public for the “maturity and seriousness” their slow initial response, particularly
regarding testing.
WORST RECESSION SINCE 1945
shown by them during the lockdown. But India 4067 cases, 109 deaths France could see its deepest recession this year since the end of
said the crisis is not going to fade away soon. But in a country like India, with 1.3
billion people, hundreds of millions of World War II, due to the crisis, the government warns. France
Lack of tests a problem across “It is going to be a long war, we can’t
poor, living in unhygienic and crammed
Pakistan 3,277 cases, 50 deaths imposed a nationwide stay-at-home order from March 17 after
South Asia be tired. Our resolve and mission are to shuttering all nonessential businesses. Statistics office Insee
emerge victorious in fight against this conditions, there is a very real fear that if Afghanistan 367 cases, 7 deaths
the testing starts too far behind the curve, said last month that the lockdown has slashed overall economic
20,000 worshippers quarantined pandemic,” he told BJP workers on the
the confirmed cases won’t even account for Sri Lanka 176 cases, 5 deaths activity by 35 percent, and estimated every month of shutdown
party’s 40th foundation day. would cut annual GPD by three percentage points.
in Pakistan Testing had already doubled in the the tip of the tip of the iceberg. Maldives 19 cases, no deaths
Lanka may extend quarantine last two days from 5,000 samples a day, a Doctors say the campaign for mass FOURTH DAILY DECLINE IN SPAIN
health official said. screening is handicapped by a lack of both Nepal 9 cases, no deaths Spain sees its fourth consecutive daily decline in deaths from the
time to 4 weeks “This is expected to reach 20,000 in the testing kits and protective gear for staff Bhutan 5 cases, no deaths virus, with 637 new fatalities recorded on Monday, its lowest for 13
next three days and increase further over carrying out the tests. days. The number of new infections also slowed, rising 3.3 percent
to 135,032, down from a rise of 24.8 percent on March 21.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WARNING
Modi, MPs UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urges governments
to include the protection of women in their response to the
agree 30pc pandemic, amid reports that domestic violence has surged
globally in the wake of massive lockdowns imposed.
salary cut AUSTRIA TO START EASING LOCKDOWN
REUTERS, New Delhi Austria could start easing its lockdown measures from April
14, starting with smaller shops, while larger shops, hotels,
Indian Prime Minister restaurants and other services could also start to open their
Narendra Modi and other doors again in stages, the government says.
top government figures BRITISH PM JOHNSON ‘IN CHARGE’
will take a 30 percent British Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in charge a day
salary cut this year, a after being admitted to hospital for tests after he announced on
government minister said March 27 that he had tested positive for COVID-19. The Times
yesterday, as the country newspaper reports that he has been given oxygen treatment.
tackles the coronavirus On Sunday, in a rare special televised address Queen Elizabeth II
outbreak and its impact on vows “We will succeed.”
the economy.
Modi has imposed a SOUTH KOREA REPORTS 47 CASES
three-week lockdown to South Korea reported fewer than 50 new coronavirus cases for
halt the spread of the virus, the first time since its peak in late February, earning the praise
but it has left millions of the World Health Organization for combatting the spread in
without jobs and many one of the first countries to be hard-hit by the disease. The Korea
of the more vulnerable Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said there
sections of society were 47 new infections as of midnight on Sunday compared with
struggling for food and 81 recorded a day earlier, taking the national tally to 10,284. The
shelter. death toll rose by eight to 191.
The federal cabinet 20M AFRICAN JOBS AT RISK
has approved a decree Millions of lost jobs, mounting debt woes and plunging
under which Modi, along remittances are among the economic hardships African countries
with President Ram Nath can expect because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the African Union
Kovind, state governors and said in a study published Monday. “Nearly 20 million jobs, both in
members of parliament, the formal and informal sectors, are threatened with destruction
will take the salary cut on the continent if the situation continues,” said the study.
as part of their social
responsibility, cabinet MUMBAI HOSPITAL SHUT
minister Prakash Javadekar A major private hospital in Mumbai was shut to new patients
told reporters.
and declared a coronavirus containment zone on Monday after
The money will go to
26 nurses and three doctors tested positive, an official said.
the country’s consolidated
Mumbai city authority spokesman Vijay Khabale-Patil told AFP
that the Wockhardt Hospital has been declared a “containment
fund, the minister said. The
zone” after the cases were confirmed.
salary cut comes into effect
SOURCE: AFP
from April.

March 2020 among Death at home DISINFECTION DRIVE

Albanian people are being disinfected before entering
hottest on record FROM PAGE 12 a market, as Albanian authorities take measures to
Temperatures last month were among the In Bergamo province alone, according to a recent study of death records,
the real death toll from the outbreak could be more than double the
stop the spread of the coronavirus disease in Tirana,
hottest on record for March, the European Albania, yesterday. More than 1,169,210 cases of
Union’s satellite monitoring service said official tally of 2,060, which only tracks hospital fatalities.
yesterday, with particularly extreme warm As the global fight to save lives centres on boosting the supply of infection, including 63,437 deaths, have been reported
weather over Russia, home to much of Earth’s hospital ventilators, some doctors say a lack of primary healthcare is in 190 countries and territories around the world since
permafrost. The Copernicus Climate Change proving just as costly because medics cannot or will not make home the virus first emerged in China in December.
Service (C3S) said March 2020 was 0.68 degrees visits, in line with a worldwide tactic of switching to remotely delivered
Celsius warmer than the average March from medical advice.
1981 to 2010, and on par with March 2017 and A spokeswoman for the state-run ATS health agency in Bergamo PHOTO: REUTERS
2019 -- currently the second hottest on record said authorities in the Lombardy region, rated among the world’s most
after March 2016. Temperatures across Europe efficient for health services, told family doctors to “deal with patients by
were almost two degrees Celsius hotter than the phone as much as possible”, limiting home visits “to reduce contagion
historical average, it said. and waste of protective equipment”.
Italy’s official death toll reached 15,887 on Sunday, almost a third of
Cyclone lashes Vanuatu the global total, but there is growing evidence that this vastly understates
A deadly Pacific cyclone intensified as it hit the real total because so many people are dying at home.
Vanuatu yesterday, threatening a natural A study by local newspaper L’Eco di Bergamo and research consultant
disaster that experts fear will undermine InTwig, using data provided by local municipalities, estimates that 5,400
the impoverished nation’s battle to remain people died in the Bergamo province during the month of March, or six
coronavirus-free. Tropical Cyclone Harold, which times more than a year ago.
claimed 27 lives when it swept through the Of these, it reckons that as many as 4,500 people succumbed to the
Solomon Islands last week, strengthened to a coronavirus - more than double the official tally. This took into account
scale-topping Category 5 superstorm overnight, 600 people who died in nursing homes and evidence provided by doctors,
Vanuatu’s meteorology service said. The cyclone it said.
is now packing winds of up to 235 kilometres The ATS did not respond to a request for comment on the study’s
per hour, prompting red alerts across several findings.
provinces. It made landfall on the remote Pietro Zucchelli, director of the Zucchelli funeral home that serves
east coast of Espiritu Santo island on Monday several villages in the Seriana Valley around Bergamo, said over the past
morning and was heading directly for Vanuatu’s two weeks more than 50 percent of his job had been collecting bodies
second-largest town Luganville, which has a from people’s homes.
population of 16,500. The slow-moving storm Before, most of the dead were in hospitals or nursing homes.
is expected to pass north of the capital Port Vila Munda, the doctor working in Selvino and Nembro, said he had been
early Tuesday. visiting patients at home since late February, administering antibiotics for
bacterial pneumonia and oxygen therapy if required.
European barter system He said that although antibiotics were no cure for the virus, they could
treat some of the debilitating complications and help patients recover
insufficient, says Iran without hospitalisation.
Iran yesterday welcomed the launch of a To protect himself, he bought 600 euros’ worth of face masks which he
European barter system to bypass US sanctions sterilises at home with steam every evening.
as a “good omen” but said it was insufficient in More than 11,000 health workers have contracted the virus in Italy and
light of the Europeans’ commitments. Britain, 80 have died, many of them family doctors.
France and Germany said last week they had The Bertuletti family’s ordeal shows how primary care, a health system’s
carried out the first transaction through the first line of defence, has sometimes buckled in the face of the coronavirus
Instex mechanism to deliver medical supplies to outbreak.
Iran, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus Ambulances that used to arrive within minutes of a call to emergency
pandemic. “We see the launch of Instex as a services now can take hours, medics say. Oxygen bottles are so scarce that
good omen,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman nurses rush to claim them back from bereaved families as soon as patients
Abbas Mousavi said in a televised news die.
conference. But “what the Islamic Republic of “We are used to seeing people die, but normally it feels like you are
Iran expects (from now on) is for the Europeans accompanying them at the end of the road,” said Maura Zucchelli, a nurse
to fulfil the rest of their commitments in various at Itineris, a private company which provides medical assistance at home
fields (such as) banking, energy, insurance,” he in the Bergamo area.
added. “Now you go to people’s homes, and within 48-72 hours the patient is
SOURCE: AFP
dead. It’s draining. It’s like war.”
 STOCKS COMMODITIES ASIAN MARKETS CURRENCIES As on 25.03.2020

DSEX CSCX Gold Oil MUMBAI TOKYO SINGAPORE SHANGHAI

$1,653.30 $33.21 4.24% 3.40% 83.95 89.67 98.12 11.69
Closed Closed Closed Closed
(per ounce) (per barrel) 18,576.30 2,470.59 84.95 93.47 101.92 12.29

BUSINESS DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24, 1426 BS • [email protected]

TAMING CORONAVIRUS RAMPAGE

Govt battling
an unknown Banks grumbling about the onus of
quantity
AKM ZAMIR UDDIN
bailout package imposed on them liquidity ratio (SLR), cash reserve ratio Banks will not feel encouraged to give bailout package.
.................................................................. (CRR) and policy rate to help banks, he out the loans as the government will not Under QE, the BB will purchase the
Banks will face trouble in implementing said -- a suggestion that Ahsan H Mansur, share the credit risk, Mansur said. excess Treasury bills and bonds from banks.
the government’s Tk 72,500 crore bailout executive director of the Policy Research If the government gives a commitment At present, banks have about Tk 100,500
package due to their ongoing liquidity Institute, and AB Mirza Azizul Islam, a to bear the losses of the defaulted loans crore extra in the form of T-bills and bonds.
crunch that has been compounded by the finance adviser to a caretaker government, under the package, banks will show interest Islam echoed the same.
coronavirus pandemic. are on board with. in disbursing the loans, he said. Asked how the central bank would give
Of the total amount of the rescue However, another bank MD preferring The central bank should take support to banks for implementation of
packages, banks will provide Tk 30,000 anonymity said the BB should ponder quantitative easing (QE) promptly to the bailout package, its spokesperson Md
crore in loans from their own resources much before cutting the SLR and CRR as supply available cash or else the banking Serajul Islam said the BB was awaiting
to the businesses. The interest rate on the the tools are designed to give protection to sector will be unable to implement the instructions from the finance ministry.
MD FAZLUR RAHMAN and REJAUL KARIM BYRON loans would be 9 per cent, of which the depositors.
.......................................................................................... borrowers will provide 4.5 per cent and the “The BB should rather explore new
Bangladesh has thus far announced a $8.56 billion government the rest. avenues to resolve the crisis,” he added.
stimulus package that is nearly three times the initial In another package, the government will On March 23, the central bank made
projected economic losses from the coronavirus pandemic. provide Tk 20,000 crore as working capital funds cheaper for banks by reducing
Earlier in March, the Asian Development Bank forecasted to the small and medium industries. The the policy or repurchase agreement rate
that Bangladesh’s gross domestic product may contract by as clients would be footing 4 per cent of the 9 (Repo) by 25 basis points to 5.75 per cent.
much as 1.1 per cent in the hypothetical worst-case scenario per cent interest on the loans. It also cut the CRR by 50 basis points to
of a significant outbreak of coronavirus in the country. This means a total of Tk 50,000 crore will 5 per cent, injecting about Tk 6,400 crore
That means, $3.02 billion of the $300 billion-plus have to be provided by banks to implement into the economy.
economy could be wiped off. the package. The BB should relax the loan-deposit
Then on April 3, ADB said its preliminary estimates The initiative taken by the government ratio as well, Rahman said.
indicate that about 0.2 per cent to 0.4 per cent of is an excellent effort to resolve the crisis, Against the backdrop, the governing
Bangladesh’s GDP may be lost due to the global pandemic. but banks have been given the short body of the ABB will arrange a meeting
From that perspective, the government’s priming the end of the stick, said Syed Mahbubur today to explore avenues on how to address
pump seems adequate. Rahman, managing director of Mutual the issues, said another managing director
“But under the present circumstances, it is assumed that Trust Bank. of a bank.
the extent of loss could be much more,” said Prime Minister “Lenders are struggling to ensure profit The government has also declared a
Sheikh Hasina said on Sunday while unveiling a second as it is. And now, there is a chance that package of Tk 5,000 crore for exporters, but
stimulus package worth Tk 67,750 crore for all businesses, a portion of the loans from the bailout lenders have been in confusion over the
industries and economic sectors, irrespective of size. package would enter the defaulted zone. terms of condition of the programme, he
As of yesterday, 123 people were infected with This will put extra pressure on banks.” said.
coronavirus in Bangladesh and 12 killed by the deadly The Bangladesh Bank should form The central bank will deduct funds from
pathogen, according to the Institute of Epidemiology fresh refinance schemes to implement the current account of the respective banks
Disease Control and Research. the financial package, said Rahman, an with the BB even if the exporters fail to
To flatten the curve on the novel virus, the government immediate past chairman of the Association repay the loan instalments.
has essentially put the country on lockdown since March of Bankers, Bangladesh, a forum of bank Lenders will have to keep provisioning RASHED SHUMON
26. The lockdown has now been extended to April 14. managing directors. against the defaulted loans, which will Customers line up to take counter services from a bank branch in the capital’s
Given that the country reported the highest increase Besides, the BB should cut the statutory create a problem for them, the MD added. Dhanmondi area yesterday while maintaining a safe social distance.
in confirmed cases yesterday, it appears that the number
of cases would blow up in the near future, necessitating
further extension of the shutdown that has brought
economic activities to a near halt.
“If a significant outbreak occurs in Bangladesh, the
impact could be more significant,” the ADB said on Friday.
The prime minister gave some examples of how the
The promising software
industry now teetering
lethal, pneumonia-like virus is affecting the economy.
Import expenditure and export income fell by almost 5
per cent year-on-year so far in the fiscal year. This drop may
be extended at the end of the fiscal year, she said.
Garment exports, which account for more than 80
per cent of the national exports, would be hit hard in MUHAMMAD ZAHIDUL ISLAM Bangladesh’s software and information More than 600 companies actively annually, while about two lakh skilled
the coming months as some retailers have cancelled .................................................................. services industry has almost completely operate in the domestic market. However, employees are vested in the sector.
$3.02 billion worth of shipment orders amid demand Just a few months ago, Skylark Soft, come to a halt. even the local demand will crash 60 per Besides, if the government wants to
collapse in Western markets, according to data compiled a software development company for The country’s software industry has cent in the next three months, according continue its countrywide digitisation plans,
by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters technology used in the garment industry, taken a massive hit at both the local to Mushfiqur Rahman, a BASIS vice the policymakers need to do something for
Association showed. maintained accounts with 50 top factories. and international markets due to the president. the industry, Chowdhury said.
Private investment may not reach the expected level Today, it does not have any work on coronavirus fallout, according to the The government is the main buyer of The government could even go as far as
because of the delay in implementation of construction hand as apparel manufacturers shuttered Bangladesh Association of Software and locally developed software. to instruct leading companies to outsource
of ongoing mega projects, setting up of special economic their operations amid fears of coronavirus Information Services (BASIS). “Traditionally, the last three months of 30 to 40 per cent of large orders to smaller
zones and implementation of the single-digit interest rates. contagion, in a demonstration of the all- The overall toll the virus has had on a fiscal year is the prime time to purchase companies to ensure their survival.
There will be adverse impact on the services sectors, encompassing devastation that is being the industry is no less than 70 per cent of ICT services for the public sector. But For more sophisticated projects, the
including hotels, restaurants, transport and aviation, the caused by the virus outbreak from Wuhan, its total value, said BASIS President Syed we are seeing the hit coming already,” foreign companies could be told to
prime minister said. China. Almas Kabir. said Rahman, also a managing partner establish joint ventures with local firms as
The purchasing capacity of the low-income people could “The situation has gone from bad to “Now, the software industry is facing the of Spectrum Software and Consulting, a well, Chowdhury added.
be reduced as well as there could be disruption in the supply worse,” said BM Sharif, chief executive biggest possible challenge for its survival. leading software developer. To help the industry overcome the
chain due to the long general holidays affecting the production officer and managing director of Skylark Without government support, it will be Subsequently, BASIS is requesting the crisis, the BASIS has sought Tk 660 crore
of the SMEs and hindrance in the transport services. Soft, which has about 35 employees. tough to return to the normal pace,” he government to continue to provide tenders in aid from the government for the next six
Due to the decline in global demand, the world fuel oil Since January, the company did not get added. such that the software engineers can work months.
price has reduced by more than 50 per cent. As a result, even regular maintenance orders, as the About 175 software companies are while sitting at home, he added. Expenses from April to September are
inward remittance flow will be affected. apparel manufacturers started taking stock plying in the international market. “The current situation is ever changing. estimated to run up to Tk 1,000 crore
Remittance, one of the lifelines for the economy, hit a of the impending damages. However, 74 per cent of the foreign buyers It is frightening to think that in the next for the 1,400 BASIS member companies
15-month low in March due to the economic fallout in the If the current situation prevails, the other stopped placing orders in the last three few months, a large number of software and the government grant will be used to
global economy stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. companies like Skylark Soft will also find it months. companies may shut down,” said Rupayan supplement staff salaries and office rent.
“I hope our economy will rebound and we could difficult to pay their employees regularly, The two major export destinations Chowdhury, group CEO and co-founder at BASIS also sought a Tk 500-crore loan
reach near the desired economic growth, if the stimulus he added. for Bangladeshi software are the US and Synesis IT, a top listed software company. accompanied by concessions at 2 per cent
packages, the previous and the fresh ones, could be quickly The managing director’s words ring Europe, which are now being overwhelmed The industry’s domestic market size interest as a part of a ‘business continuity
implemented,” the prime minister said. true though as the continued progress of by the virus outbreak. is not worth less than Tk 10,000 crore plan’.

Steelmakers facing cocktails of challenges

JAGARAN CHAKMA crore, according to the sector people. The impact of production disruption in the
....................................................................... In the past few years the country saw a good steel industry will not be felt straightaway for
Steel manufacturers are bracing for massive number of new steel and re-rolling mills that the Padma bridge and Karnaphuli river tunnel
losses as the coronavirus pandemic has use state-of-the-art technologies and churn out projects, which have a stock of construction
disrupted the import of raw materials and world-class products, said Md Shahidullah, materials, said Jamilur Reza Choudhury, a
production -- a development that will also secretary general of the Bangladesh Steel renowned civil engineer and a former teacher
deal a blow to real estate and infrastructure Manufacturers’ Association. of Bangladesh University of Engineering and
projects. The country has about 40 active Technology.
As much as 90 per cent of the raw materials manufacturers, who altogether have the But the works of other projects like the
are imported from the US, Canada, Italy, the capacity to manufacture nine million tonnes Dhaka-Chattogram elevated expressway will
UK and Australia, which have gone into partial AT A GLANCE of steel a year. Of them, Abul Khair Steel, GPH be hampered.
or full lockdown since the beginning of March Steel, BSRM and KSRM meet more than half the “Against the backdrop, the overall
to contain the spread of the highly contagious Market size: Tk 55,000cr annual demand for about eight million tonnes. implementation of the infrastructure
and deadly pathogen. “We have been left in a pickle as the projects may slow down for the time being,”
And the lockdown in the countries are
Active mills: 40 pandemic has broken the supply chain of said Choudhury, also a consultant of the
unlikely to be lifted anytime soon given the Production capacity: 9m tonne all the countries from where we source our government’s major infrastructure projects.
breathtaking pace at which the novel virus is Demand in 2019: >8m tonne raw materials,” said Shahidullah, also the The government’s infrastructure projects
infecting people there and claiming lives. managing director of Metrocem Steel. account for 35-40 per cent of the total steel
In the first two weeks of March, the Govt consumption: 40% Though the steel industry is not export- consumption in Bangladesh, up from 15 per
steelmakers’ losses amounted to Tk 350 crore, Major players: AKS, BSRM oriented, the government should give it the cent a decade ago, according to Shahidullah.
said Manwar Hossain, president of Bangladesh same importance as the garment sector, he The fate of at least 8,000 workers in
Steel Mills Owners Association. said, adding that the present situation may Chattogram-based PHP Family’s steel mill is
If the situation goes on like this for the next machinery for the near standstill of economic Banks can extend the tenure of payment for also affect Bangladesh’s real estate sector. hanging by a thread as the factory has been
four months, the losses will run north of Tk activities around the world, he said, adding letters of credit by an additional six months Sales of steel products declined during closed due to the lockdown, said Dilshad
4,000 crore, said Hossain, also the managing that about eight million empty containers are without the need for taking prior permission the last two months because of a slowdown Ahmed, head of media and public relations of
director of Anwar Group of Industries that now stranded in the Chinese ports alone. from the central bank, Hossain said, while in construction works for some of the big PHP Family that owns the PHP Arabian Horse
owns Anwar Ispat. To tide them over during this trying period, calling for a fund for short-term loans against infrastructure projects of the government, Super brand.
Not only raw materials, steel manufacturers steelmakers are demanding some policy LCs. while private consumption also went down “Production as well as sales has flatlined,”
are unable to bring in spare parts or capital support -- but not funds from the government. The steel industry is now worth Tk 50,000 significantly, Shahidullah added. he added.
B2 DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24, 1426 BS BUSINESS
TAMING CORONAVIRUS RAMPAGE

Stimulus package geared towards

the long road to normalcy There is an implicit contingent liability Given the aggregate financing constraints could get some respite from the collapse in
equivalent to a maximum 2.5 per cent of GDP facing each bank, they will need to make international oil and related product prices.
if there are large scale defaults that banks may choices similar to the choices the medical These can be significant if our energy state- Community resource
pass on to the budget. professionals in Italy are making on which owned enterprises take advantage of the
Offsetting this at least in part is the increase COVID-19 patient to put on the scarce situation in time. mobilisation and
in profits of the energy sector state-owned ventilators. The worry on the external front is the
enterprises due to decline in the cost of You cannot spread the money too thin. likely decline in remittance inflow due to donor financing need
What makes the bankers’ decision to choose shut down in Bangladesh’s key international
importing oil and related products.
The burden of financing is on the banks. the borrowers and the loan size different from labour markets, the lagged effects of the oil
to complement the
They are facing liquidity crunch as indicated
by the rise in borrowing from the repo market
that of the doctors is that their action has no
immediate cost in terms of human lives.
price decline on remittance and the increase
in health-related imports.
government’s efforts
before the partial shutdown of the economy.
This is likely to have worsened.
They can, in fact, screen out enterprises that
cannot survive on their own under normal
The other sources of non-official finance in
the financial account may also dry out.
for the poor and the
The Bangladesh Bank (BB) will need to
provide adequate liquidity to the banks. The
circumstances.
Technically sound risk assessment, insulated
Preserving the adequacy of reserves and
mobilising concessional external finance for
vulnerable.
ZAHID HUSSAIN
....................................................................... sector debt to the monetary system and 5.6 per
The Tk 72,750 crore package announced by the cent of the stock of broad money at the end of
prime minister promises to provide support January.
to small and large businesses in industry and Broad money growth could reach 18.3
services to tide over the disruptive stage of the per cent if both the business and livelihood
pandemic. packages are fully monetised and there is no
There is Tk 30,000 crores presumably for other source of increase in money supply
large enterprises in industry and services and between the months of February and June.
Tk 20,000 crore for micro, small and medium These are significant but not alarming
enterprises (MSMEs). numbers, given the relatively modest 48 per
The money will be channelled through cent broad money to GDP ratio at the end of
banks in the form of working capital loans at fiscal 2018-19.
9 per cent interest rate. However, they do underline the criticality
There is an additional Tk 12,750 crore of exercising fiscal austerity, as envisaged by
infusion into the Export Development Fund the prime minister, in order to preserve the
(EDF) and Tk 5,000 crore for pre-shipment monetary and fiscal space for fighting the
credit finance to facilitate the production of impact of the pandemic going forward. And
exports prior to shipment and hopefully to Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York City,
promote backward linkages to benefit the warned, “This is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”
deemed exporters. Could such a monetary and fiscal expansion
This complements the Tk 5,000 crore fuel inflation?
support for the directly export-oriented Assume most of the monetary and fiscal
industries announced earlier. support goes to contain labour income losses
What are the fiscal, financial, balance of as apparently intended. The resulting fillip in
payments and monetary implications of consumption demand can be no more than
introducing such a support package to keep what would have prevailed in the absence of
businesses afloat and protect labour incomes the coronavirus pandemic.
when the economy is on a shutdown mode? Perhaps, it would have been even less,
The direct fiscal cost of the package is because of some increase in precautionary
actually not as large as it appears on the demand for savings.
surface. The composition of demand created by the
The government will be paying a 4.5 per support package is likely to be tilted towards
cent subsidy on interest on the Tk 30,000 crore essential goods and services.
for large scale industries and 5 per cent on the The inflationary effect thus depends on
Tk 20,000 crore for MSMEs. This together the state of play on the supply side of these
constitutes Tk 2,350 crore. essentials.
In addition, the government will pay Tk 310 Disruption in supply chains caused by
crore subsidy on credit from the EDF. the mitigation measures could create some
AMRAN HOSSAIN
The finance division officials have been inflationary pressure.
quoted in the media as saying that the initial Tk The typically bustling Mirpur-1 area wears a withdrawn look yesterday. If the policymakers want to lose sleep
5,000 crore announced for the directly export- worrying about inflation, they better worry
oriented industries will also be provided from banks can borrow from the BB at the 5.75 per from cronyism and corruption, can help the support package are the best insurance about managing the mitigation measures
the budget. cent repo rate. minimise the job losses due to bankruptcy of options. to minimise disruptions to the supply of
These together constitute Tk 7,660 crore However, the tenor of BB refinancing of the rationed out non-viable enterprises. A flexible exchange rate could buffer deeper essentials, particularly ensuring full harvesting
additional burden on the budget, which is banks will need to match the tenor of banks’ Some analysts have qualms about the than anticipated pressure on the external of the boro crop, without raising the risk of
equivalent to 16.5 per cent of the original loans to the enterprises to avoid aggravating integrity of the whole process being so reliant balance. virus spread.
budgetary provisions for subsidies, incentives a maturity mismatch problem that already on banks. What is the alternative? Surly not The impact of the package on the money The assumption that the support reaches
and cash transfers and 0.3 per cent of GDP. exists. the bureaucratic machinery. supply is likely to be tolerable. only the working labour may be a little heroic.
Constitution of a special refinancing One solution is to channel the money Even assuming the BB fully refinances the The bigger the leakage, the higher the
window addressing these issues will be needed only through those rated among the top loans provided by the banks, including the chances that poverty will increase.
sooner than later. ten on corporate governance by the BB or initial one for direct exporters, and considering Even if there is some inflation, the poor will
The default risk is on banks. They have international rating agencies such as the the additional infusion into the EDF, the benefit if the support reaches them directly.
to elevate the skill and prudence of their risk Moody’s. additional credit constitutes 6.9 per cent of If the bulk of the assistance is captured by
management to make sure that the wilful They are unlikely to risk their corporate the outstanding stock of credit to the private the connected elite, anything can happen,
defaulters and those enjoying rescheduling goodwill by deliberately mishandling the funds. sector at the end of January. including capital flight.
facilities do not access these funds. Banks specialising on MSME financing With the year-on-year private credit In that case, we risk facing both increased
The demand for loans from these new should be preferred for channelling the funds growth down to 9.2 per cent in January and poverty as well as macroeconomic instability.
facilities will most likely exceed supply for the MSMEs. dim prospects for credit demand from usual Note also that a support package for the
after the dust settles on the modality of Can the financial package aggravate balance business expansion related borrowings, the poor and the vulnerable equivalent to the ones
implementation. of payment pressures? package is unlikely to breach the BB’s 14.8 for businesses and workers in those businesses
And Bill de Blasio, To incentivise use of the funds for payroll, To the extent the package facilitates the per cent private credit growth target for fiscal can barely cover 242,500 individuals at Tk
the banks could use matching fund rules production of existing orders that the buyers 2019-20. 3,000 cash transfer per month per capita and
the mayor of New requiring the borrowers to share part of the will take or exporting personal protective In fact, there is space for more, particularly 485,000 individuals at Tk 1,500 per month
payroll burden, particularly in cases of large equipment (PPEs), the package will in fact to finance livelihood support to the poor and per capita. Just one month!
York City, warned, and established enterprises. alleviate some BoP pressures by cushioning the vulnerable. This is sobering, underlining the importance
“This is not a sprint, However, the loan size has to be adequate
to keep the borrowing companies afloat
the decline in exports.
It is unlikely to create significant pressure
A relief programme of the same magnitude
as the loans for business, financed by
of community resource
and donor financing to complement the
mobilisation

it’s a marathon.” during the crisis. This is particularly true for

MSMEs, many of whom may need financing to
on imports if the support goes mostly to
financing payroll expenditures.
government borrowing from the BB will
constitute slightly over 29 per cent of the
government’s effort.

pay rent and electricity bills as well. Note that the pressure on import payments stock of reserve money, 37.6 per cent of public The author is an economist

A glut of freight waits on the ships

Port has run out of space to accommodate new cargo arrivals
DWAIPAYAN BARUA, Ctg coronavirus has created a transport crisis congestion inside the port yards. (twenty-foot equivalent units) yesterday
.................................................................. that has slowed the delivery of import The number of import-laden containers morning against the room for 37,620 TEUs.
Slow delivery of goods has created space cargoes and caused acute container lying in different yards hit 44,191 TEUs The condition is also worsening in the
shortage at the Chattogram port and a long yards designated for reefer containers,
queue of vessels at the outer anchorage in which carry perishable goods like fruits,
the last few days. onion, garlic, ginger, fish and others.
At noon yesterday, about 20 container As of yesterday, about 3,032 TEUs of Maj Gen Md Mahbubur Rahman, director general of the
vessels were found waiting at the outer reefer containers were lying at the port DGDA, and Md Ferdous Khan, a director of Acme, pose at
ON APR 6 PORT CAPACITY
anchorage. yards, against the capacity of 1,620 TEUs. an event, where the company handed over PPEs to the
The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) Import containers 44,191 TEUs 37,620 TEUs So acute is the space shortage that the DGDA for healthcare professionals. ACME
has stalled giving berths to the vessels since CPA has started keeping some of the import
April 2 even though there are vacant jetties Reefer containers 3,032 TEUs 1,620 TEUs containers at the car shed.
as it struggles to accommodate the new It has also started shifting some of the
arrivals in the limited space. reefer containers to the under-construction
It is now allowing just one or two new overflow yard outside the port, said CPA
vessels to get berths every day and only 5 Secretary Md Omar Faruk.
to 6 vessels are allotted to stay at the jetties Moreover, the CPA on Sunday announced
when it has 11 jetties to accommodate 11 giving 100 per cent waiver on store rent for
container vessels. import containers that are removed from
For instance, the vessel OEL Colombo the port during the shutdown. But the
arrived at the outer anchorage on April 3 measure also failed to ease the congestion.
but was yet to get berth as of yesterday. Since March 26, the average daily
The CPA has given permission to the delivery came down to only 1,500 TEUs
ship to get berth on April 9, according to from 4,911 TEUs previously.
Md Ajmir Hossain Chowdhury, head of If the situation does not improve by next
operations and logistics of the vessel’s week, the vessels’ waiting time could exceed
Rupayan Group Vice Chairman Mahir Ali Khan Ratul hands
operating firm MSC Mediterranean 10 days, said Muntasir Rubaiyat, head of
Shipping Company Bangladesh. operations of GBX Logistics, whose two over a cheque of Tk 2 crore to the Principal Secretary
The countrywide movement restriction vessels -- OEL Bangladesh and OEL Hind Ahmad Kaikaus as donation to the Prime Minister’s Relief
since March 26 to control the spread of -- are now waiting for berths. Fund to combat coronavirus. RUPAYAN GROUP
8 EDITORIAL

Pandemic and prisons:

DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24 , 1426 BS the powder keg
New stimulus
H
UMAN- physical distancing and self isolation Turkey has announced new legislation By taking cue from other countries, those
KIND all constitute fertile grounds for spread that would halve the sentence of inmates in the high risk category (having specific
is under of the virus, she noted. Another UN except those convicted for terrorism, health conditions), those above the age
package to absorb attack. People of
all races, colours,
report maintained that people in prisons
tend to have poorer health, including
narcotics and sex offences, and except
repeat offenders. Another measure taken
of 65 (excluding the sex offenders and
those convicted of violent crimes), those
countries, religions chronic conditions that make them more was sending some inmates to spend who have been convicted of non-violent
economic shocks and social classes
stand on a
vulnerable to Covid-19. A Health and
Social Care Committee of UK Parliament
one-fifth of their sentences in supervised
release. The enactment of this law would
offences or minor infractions, those who
have been sentenced to imprisonment
Marginalised groups, small common platform
to face the massive
(2018) finds mortality rates of people in
prison is 50 percent higher than general
lead to the release of almost one-third of
310,000 prison inmates of the country.
for two years or less, and those who have
served most of the term of their conviction
businesses must receive special C R ABRAR onslaught of the
coronavirus. While
populations, reflecting their poor health.
Inadequate health care for prisoners
In the US, the Attorney General
announced the release of at-risk inmates
(say 75 percent of the total period) should
be considered for release.
attention health professionals and other service is contrary to the International Covenant to home confinement for the remainder of In Bangladesh, a major blot in the
providers gallantly commit their lives to on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights their sentences. It will include those with criminal justice system is that thousands

T
HE Prime Minister’s announcement of four new save those infected, policymakers scramble (1966), which provides that everyone has pre-existing conditions and the elderly. remain incarcerated for long periods before
stimulus packages of TK 67,750 crore, along with to frame appropriate strategies; scientists a “right to the highest attained standard The state and local authorities in the US their conviction, some even before they
the previous TK 5,000 crore package, is a bold and virologists search for antidotes, and of physical and mental health”. The UN have also developed strategies to release are charged. In those instances, an accused
and reassuring step for the entire country, which is in social activists engage in raising awareness Nelson Mandela Rules explicitly states that prisoners with minimal crimes. Thousands who has served two year terms should
a state of extreme uncertainty. This stimulus package is about dos and don’ts and struggle to those in prison are entitled to the same of inmates in various states, including also be considered for release. Another
intended to overcome the inevitable economic shock provide much needed support to those standard of care as is provided outside the those convicted of nonviolent crimes and important category for release should
from the ongoing shutdown, which is crucial to prevent who are on the margins of society. In prison. nearing the end of their terms, have been be the prisoners of conscience (those
the spread of the coronavirus. The four packages aim sum, the universal resolve to combat and Another stark warning came from the released. Germany also announced release incarcerated for expressing their opinion
to increase public expenditure, widen social safety net conquer the virus has united the peoples of World Health Organization (WHO). of prisoners who have served most of their and political beliefs) and the women
coverage and increase monetary supply. the world. In a guideline published on March 23, terms, excluding sex offenders and violent prisoners.
The business community, in particular, has welcomed The very nomenclature of the virus— the health body noted that the world inmates. The time has come for those in
“novel”—shows that the world is dealing can “expect huge mortality rates” from Early this month, the Bangladesh charge of prison administration in
the various packages as they will alleviate much of their
with an unknown bug. Fighting an Covid-19 unless immediate actions are government announced it was considering Bangladesh to move beyond the much
worries. While this is a welcome package that targets
enemy that one knows very little about is
primarily the economy, the biggest challenge is efficient a daunting task. However, the collective
and proper implementation of these policies. This experience of the world community
includes making sure that vested groups do not try to in dealing with deadly epidemics over
take undue privileges and the allocations are distributed centuries provides us with important
to the right groups. lessons. The knowledge of countries that
The government has devised a formula through were hit by the ongoing pandemic also
which commercial banks will provide loans at low provide us important insights about the
interest rates. The interest rate of this loan facility will paths that we should tread in trying to
be 9 percent, of which the loan takers will provide 4.5 contain the spread of the virus and thus its
percent while the government will provide the rest of the lethal impact.
interest to the respective banks as subsidy. Here we urge In these trying times, conducting tests,
maintaining physical distance with other
the government, as some economists have, to make sure
individuals, using soap and hand-cleansers
loan defaulters do not take advantage of this facility. The and keeping premises in hygienic order
government and central bank must devise ways to assist are the principal codes of conduct that
the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have to every individual and institutions should
pay rent for their shops and offices as well as pay their adhere to. Unfortunately, if there is one
employees. single institution that cannot match even
As we know, this crisis will hit the lower income and the rudimentary levels of the code, it is
marginalised people the most. Therefore, the stimulus the prisons. This problem is systemic
package must also target farmers, migrant workers and persists in almost all countries of the
and all those people who work in the informal sector. world, rich and poor.
Without being assured of a financial assistance and Past epidemics have taught the valuable
social safety net programme, it will be hard to sustain lesson that prisons and detention centres
a shutdown as people will be forced to come out to could be the hotbeds for the spread of
contagious diseases. After looking at the
earn their living. So far, we have not heard of a specific
potential spread of the coronavirus in
amount to be allocated to these groups. Direct cash locked establishments weeks ago, Richard
transfers through mobile financing can be part of this Coker of the London School of Hygiene
effort. and Tropical Medicine concluded that as
In order to get the maximum benefit of the stimulus many as 60 percent of prisoners could PHOTO: PRABIR DAS
packages, the government should collaborate with become infected with the virus. “It’s
the huge network of NGOs and other development an existing health nightmare and then taken. WHO warns that efforts to stem the releasing on bail some 3,000 prisoners, needed introduction of infra-red thermal
organisations, economists and social welfare experts you add a pandemic that requires social virus flow to the wider community will including those under trial and jailed for thermometers, restricting visiting hours,
to make sure that the most vulnerable groups and distance and sanitation—it’s a powder fail unless strict measures to stop infection bailable offences, to lower the chances of physically distancing new inmates and
businesses are helped. The implementation of these keg”, Coker bemoans. are taken in all places of detention. The coronavirus transmission in crowded jails. allowing inmates to make phone calls to
policies must be done in a transparent, timely and Coker was referring to the UK organisation provides a dire warning that “It’s still at a discussion level”, noted the their loved ones once a week. The release
efficient manner. experience. It does not require much in a worst case scenario, Covid-19 “is going Home Minister. of 3,000 prisoners, though a paltry sum, is
imagination to surmise the devastating to be exploding in the prisons” and “will Public health experts apprehend that a good start. An unequivocal commitment
impact that coronavirus is likely to have be a security issue”. many prisoners might contract coronavirus to stop the spread of coronavirus requires
on Bangladeshi prisons, many of which Events in Brazil, Colombia and Italy in densely congested jails with unhealthy an urgent release of substantial numbers
More than just cogs are in a state of disrepair and infested with
rats and cockroaches. Days ago, acclaimed
corroborated these concerns. In Brazil,
1,400 prisoners escaped from four semi-
and unhygienic living conditions. Prison
directorate sources inform that against the
of prisoners, perhaps to the tune of tens of
thousands, as was done in Iran and Turkey.
photographer Shahidul Alam, narrating his open prisons; in Colombia, prison riots capacity of 41,244, there are around 89,000 Extraordinary times demand bold,
in the machine experience of Keraniganj prison, the most
modern penal facility of the country, wrote:
led to the death of 23 inmates and in Italy,
unrest in 23 detention facilities led to 12
prisoners in 68 jails across the country.
The health services available in the prisons
decisive and quick actions. It is true
that the crisis is taking a huge toll on
“The “Ilish file” or “kechki file” (jailspeak for deaths. All these were triggered by the fear are atrocious; there is only one doctor for national resources but in confronting
Owners’ divisions, greed perpetuate the way prisoners are stacked like sardines of coronavirus. a staggering number of 10,000 inmates. it, the authorities should not abandon
to ensure maximum fit in overcrowded In order to stave off the outbreak In September 2019, the Inspector General those who are behind bars. Those at the
workers’ sufferings cells) I had been introduced to in prison, of the disease in detention facilities, of Prisons informed the media that there helm of the state should realise that in
involved physical contact of an extreme releasing prisoners has been the single are “9 doctors for 141 posts”.It was further all likelihood, prisons will amplify and

W
ITH a de facto lockdown in place across the kind. It was a daily occurrence in Keranigaj most important strategy pursued by a host reported that there are only five thermal enhance coronavirus transmission beyond
country, the vulnerability of garment workers jail”. of states. A little more than a week ago, scanners for 68 detention facilities. the confines of their walls and even a
in Bangladesh has come to the fore like no A little more than a week ago, the facing a massive eruption of the virus, Iran Such dire conditions in the country’s rumour of spread of the virus in prisons
other time before. On Saturday, uncertainty over their UN High Commissioner for Human announced the release of 85,000 of its prison system demand that decisive actions may trigger violence, posing major security
jobs and unpaid salaries as well as mixed messages from Rights made a fervent plea to the states 190,000 prison population. Ten thousand should be taken to reduce the number of challenges. And finally, it is incumbent
their employers and the authorities set off a frantic rush to for releasing older detainees who are sick of the cohort will be granted pardons. prisoners in this health emergency. The on national leaders to ensure that “jail
return to Dhaka and other garment manufacturing hubs, and low risk offenders. She observed that Those released were serving sentences laws of the land empower the authorities sentences should not potentially become
despite the growing threats of a coronavirus outbreak in the virus has begun to strike prisons and less than five years. “Health of prisoners to commute or suspend convictions to death sentences”.
detention centres. Unhygienic conditions, is important, regardless of their status release prisoners. The criteria to qualify for
the country. With regular communications suspended, C R Abrar is an academic. He is a founding member
inadequate or almost non-existent health as security prisoner or regular prisoner”, bail or presidential pardon is a matter to be
many walked for miles in close proximity, and travelled in services and impossibility of ensuring announced a senior functionary of the state. worked out by the competent authorities.
of the Committee for the Protection of Fundamental
Rights.
crammed pickups and trucks, only to be met with closed
gates when they finally reached their destinations. We
are told that the desperation with which they returned
was the same that forced them to leave their squalid,
overcrowded living quarters in the first place, when the
lockdown went into effect, fearing exposure to the virus.
And then they returned, as the reports by The Daily Star
World needs to use or lose Bangladesh
show us, because they were told that factories would
reopen and they would be paid.
It is the same story everywhere—a self-perpetuating
cycle of uncertainty breeding desperation. What we find
apparel industry
shocking in this whole fiasco is how the workers suffered

I
T has taken decades of learning. It required the My question to the global community
and compromised public health during this emergency RMG more than development of new knowledge and new is, do they still want Bangladesh to have
because of the greed of some factories, divisions among NOTES four decades skills. Our human resources became global
Against the backdrop a garments industry in three months?
the industry leaders, as well as inefficiency of the relevant
authorities. There was no central command, no specific
of incredibly hard experts in the field of garment production of the Covid-19 Do they still want the iconic “Made in
work to build up techniques. Bangladesh” label to be part of the world?
guidelines from the government or BGMEA on factory the Bangladeshi On factory floors, production
outbreak, orders If they do, then they need to support
closure, resulting in arbitrary action. “The situation could
have been avoided had the factory owners notified the
RMG industry. techniques have been honed and are being placed on Bangladeshi factories now.
In fact, the first fine-tuned in a process of continuous We need monetary support to keep
workers about the extension of the government’s general export-oriented improvement over four decades. The hold by buyers and the Bangladesh RMG industry alive.
holiday up to April 11,” said an inspector general of the
Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment
MOSTAFIZ UDDIN RMG industry of
Bangladesh began
net result is that the Bangladesh apparel retailers at a rate that Organisations such as the World Bank,
industry is now the most responsive, International Monetary Fund and
(DIFE). But the DIFE, which had allowed the factories to when Daewoo of South Korea established client-focused producer of apparel in the we have never before International Finance Corporation
operate provided they had emergency safety protocols
in place, cannot avoid responsibility for failing to
a joint venture in 1977, almost 43 years
ago.
world. witnessed. Business should come forward and support the
Bangladesh apparel industry at this
If the Bangladesh apparel industry is
give an unambiguous directive and act in unison As I write this now, there is a very real allowed to fail, we will lose all of the above for the Bangladesh critical time.
with the government’s central decision to implement The world will keep turning after
a “lockdown”. Unfortunately, the government, even
and serious threat that those 43 years will
be wiped out in just three short months.
overnight—and it will take years to come apparel industry has Covid-19 is beaten. And the whole world
back from this. In a worst-case scenario, it
now, is refusing to call it a lockdown, instead labelling That is the scale of the challenge we are may not even come back at all. fallen off a cliff. will still need apparel supply chains,
it as a “holiday”, sending out mixed messages about facing. It is without precedent in all our Be in no doubt, without Bangladesh, unless people across the world decide to
its importance. It has announced a massive stimulus lifetimes. the global fashion industry will change stop wearing clothing. Global industry
package to pay the salaries and allowances of workers and Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 as we know it. For years, major fashion apparel to more than 165 countries across could be getting back on its feet by the
employees of the export-oriented industries, but clearly outbreak, orders are being placed on hold brands have been getting designs from the world. summer and, while there is no doubt that
that benefit is yet to trickle down to those at the bottom by buyers and retailers at a rate that we the catwalk into production and onto The apparel industry of Bangladesh the apparel industry will take a huge hit
of the chain of command. have never before witnessed. Business for the shelves of shops within weeks. That’s has shown amazing resilience to be where in 2020, there will still be demand for
Such indecision and lack of direction can have the Bangladesh apparel industry has fallen in a large way thanks to the seamless it is today. It has overcome huge crises, good quality fashion at affordable prices.
devastating consequences during this period of crisis, off a cliff. Without orders, factories cannot operations of Bangladesh. including Rana Plaza, following which There will be a “bounce” in business at
as we are already witnessing. Workers are not just cogs pay their workers’ wages. Factories cannot Want affordable, stylish fashion on a it implemented an unprecedented safety some point.
in the well-oiled machine of our RMG sector. They remain operational. Factories will go bust. budget? Look no further than Bangladesh. overhaul which was supported by all If the world wants Bangladesh to be
deserve protection, just like any other citizen. Equally And I am not just talking about one Want high quality denim at competitive leading international apparel brands. part of that industry, we need support
importantly, if the community transmission of the deadly now before it is too late.
factory. I am talking about a whole prices? Again, Bangladesh has the solution. Billions of dollars have been invested to
coronavirus is to be stopped, their role, as well as that of industry, an industry which, as I say, took A minor revolution has been underway make the Bangladesh RMG industry as safe Mostafiz Uddin is the Managing Director of Denim
all people in the informal sector, is very vital. We urge four decades to build from scratch. in global apparel production in recent as it is today. If our industry is allowed to Expert Limited. He is also the Founder and CEO of
Bangladesh Denim Expo and Bangladesh Apparel
the government to intervene in this matter and take There is a reason it took four decades decades, and Bangladesh has been at disappear, all of that money, all that time Exchange (BAE). He can be reached at mostafiz@
appropriate measures. to build our RMG industry. It required the heart of it. Our country now exports and effort, will have been for nothing. denimexpert.com.
DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24 , 1426 BS OPINION 9

WORLD HEALTH DAY 2020

Celebrate, support and strengthen the
nursing and midwifery workforce
2020 is the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. All countries must invest in nursing and
midwifery education, employment and leadership to strengthen health systems and advance gender equity

N
URSES many as 1.9 million more nurses changes are shifting healthcare needs midwives is safe, healthy and satisfying. Evidence shows that countries that have
and and midwives. Special focus must be and driving greater demand for services The hours nurses and midwives work a chief nursing officer and a nursing
mid- given to ensuring they are deployed for non-communicable diseases should be reasonable and aligned leadership programme have stronger
wives are central where they are needed most—rural (NCDs), care for older people and the with national labour laws. The on- regulatory environments for nursing and
to the delivery and hard-to-reach areas. At every terminally ill. For nurses and midwives the-job hazards nurses and midwives midwifery. This helps them to ensure
of quality opportunity, policymakers and to respond to these needs, policymakers are exposed to should be minimised all nurses and midwives have adequate
primary health administrators should empower female and administrators must review pre- and, wherever possible, eliminated. capacity and skills and can work
services for health workers—especially nurses and service education, including curriculum Nurses and midwives should never be effectively in interdisciplinary teams.
all. Nurses are midwives—to reach leadership roles and faculty development and, where subjected to violence. By providing a It also means that, when developing
POONAM highly effective and to be involved in decision making. necessary, amend it. They should ensure positive and enabling environment for policy, they are more likely to benefit
KHETRAPAL SINGH in delivering All nurses and midwives must be paid all nurses and midwives are provided nurses and midwives, policymakers and from the knowledge and experience
services that fairly. ongoing professional development administrators will increase recruitment, nurses and midwives have. Nurses and
prevent illness, promote health, and As the world marks the International opportunities, including in-service retention and motivation. This is midwives must be enabled to develop
care for the physically and mentally ill Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, we training, to enhance their knowledge particularly important as countries their leadership potential and participate
and people with disabilities. Midwives must celebrate, support and strengthen and skills. Tomorrow’s challenges may enhance the quality of health services in in key decision-making forums.
provide the essential care needed the nursing and midwifery workforce, be different from today’s. remote and hard-to-reach areas. Additional investments are needed.
for every woman to have a positive with a focus on several key areas. Second, policymakers and Third, increased focus should be The first ever State of the World’s
childbirth experience, for every child First, strengthening nursing and administrators should ensure that put on strengthening nursing and Nursing Report shows that low- and
to come into the world safely, and midwifery education. Demographic the work environment for nurses and midwifery leadership and management. middle-income countries should
for every newborn and child to avoid investment an additional USD 10
disease and death. The global response per capita for nursing education
to Covid-19 underscores how critical alone. In most countries, this can be
nurses are to health security. They must achieved with domestic funds. In some
be supported to get the job done. countries, development partners and
The World Health Organization financing institutions can help. By
(WHO) South-East Asia Region is transferring human capital investments
committed to strengthening its nursing for education, employment, gender
and midwifery workforce as part of and other areas into national health
its quest to achieve universal health workforce strategies, partners can
coverage (UHC). UHC is one of eight strengthen the nursing and midwifery
flagship priorities in the region and workforce while driving job creation,
the target that underpins Sustainable gender equity and youth engagement.
Development Goal 3, the health The WHO South-East Asia Region
goal. In 2015, the region embarked must sustain and accelerate its progress.
on its Decade for Health Workforce We are now in the sixth year of the
Strengthening—a key initiative aimed region’s Decade for Health Workforce
at overcoming shortages and skill-gaps Strengthening. We must pick up the
in health cadre across the region. By pace and drive further gains. WHO is
2018, the region had increased the committed to supporting all countries
density of nurses and midwives to 18 in the region to strengthen their
per 10,000 population, up from 16 per nursing and midwifery workforce as
10,000 in 2014. In 2018, the global together we pursue our overarching
average density of nurses and midwives goal: universal health coverage. Health
was 37 per 10,000 population. The for all at all ages is possible. We can—
minimum should be 40. we must—make it happen.
We must redouble our efforts: Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh is WHO South-East
by 2030, the region will require as Asia Regional Director.
PHOTO: COLLECTED

Navigating the socioeconomic perils

of Covid-19 in Bangladesh
BAZLUL H KHONDKER India’s economic growth forecast from in joblessness, will inevitably lead to a enterprises (SMEs). The government stimulus implementation. Effective
5.3 percent to 2.5 percent for 2020. sharp increase in the poverty rate and could increase current social protection and timely disbursement of funds are

D
ESPITE the depressing state Similar dire projections have emerged push more people into poverty. The allocation of 2.2 percent of GDP to imperative to tackle the economic and
of major indicators such from other reports and briefs. number of vulnerable persons who will about 5 percent of GDP during this social perils of Covid-19.
as negative export-import The Bangladesh economy will not need assistance may rise exponentially crisis period. Employment generation Value for money of public funds
growth; large revenue deficit; falling be spared. The impacts of Covid-19 in 2020, although perhaps for a and poverty alleviation programmes is generally low in Bangladesh,
private sector investment; rising on economic growth, job losses and temporary period, especially since should also attract higher allocations epitomised by cost overrun and delay
non-performing loans recorded upsurge in poverty are expected to vulnerable groups in Bangladesh lack of the budget. The health sector budget in implementation. This is the time to
in the last quarter of 2019, as well be large. The projected GDP growth the savings and resources required to should be permanently increased to break this trend and have high value for
as the impending fear of a global of 8.2 percent for 2020 may decline fend off the impacts of Covid-19. 3 percent of GDP from the current money from the proposed stimulus and
economic recession, the government allocation of less than 1 percent of the measures to be proposed in the next
by 2 to 3 percent—that is, economic Like many other countries, the
of Bangladesh has been optimistic that budget. The following steps may help
growth may settle somewhere between Bangladesh government has also GDP. Along with fiscal measure (tax
the depressing trend of these indicators improve this situation—coordinated
5 to 6 percent. Robust economic proposed a series of measures and and subsidy) and utility measures
could be reversed and instead lead planning to pull together all resources
growth during the last decade helped stimuli to buttress the consequences (lower rates and deferred payments),
to another great year—with respect (public, private, NGO and development
Bangladesh to win her fight against of the pandemic. These are welcome Bangladesh Bank may create special
to growth and poverty reduction. But partners) for maximising prioritisation
this optimism has now been seriously poverty—mainly through employment initiatives. Support is also being funds to support SMEs to overcome the
generation channels. According to provided by the private sector, NGOs Covid-19 economic crisis. and allocation; creation of a dedicated
dented with the severe onslaught of cell within the Planning Commission for
Covid-19. It has virtually stalled all current projections (before Covid-19), and other development partners. A major plus point in the case of
the poverty rate will still be 20 percent Addressing the health risks and the Bangladesh is that fiscal and monetary Covid-19 related projects with an aim
economic activities all over the world. to approve projects within ten days for
Many countries and multilateral in 2020, with almost 32 million living social and economic perils faced by instruments are already in operation
in poverty. Poverty measurement use a vulnerable populations should be (even though they are not highly the speedy delivery of cash, goods and
agencies have now started to count services; and extension of support from
the economic and social costs of poverty line (PL) threshold to identify the main focus of the government efficient), through which these stimuli
poor persons. If per capita income is stimulus measures. The size of the can be implemented. Operations of Bangladesh Bank for the quick approval
Covid-19. The preliminary estimates of loans for SMEs and for the effective
emerging from a few sources are lower than the PL by even one Taka, stimulus may need to be around 4 to digital finance service providers such
he or she is considered as poor. Like 5 percent of GDP. Bangladesh will also bKash, Rocket and Nagad will be the and timely disbursement of funds.
frightening. JP Morgan has slashed its Bangladesh is well known for its
USA GDP forecast for the next quarter many other countries, Bangladesh announce its budget for the next fiscal key conduits for fast and efficient
adopts a low PL in monetary value year (FY2020-21) in June 2020—amid low-cost fund transfers that avoid resilience, and we have many times in
(i.e. second quarter) by 25 percent
compared to international poverty the Covid-19 pandemic. The budget human contact. Another advantage in the past, surpassed expectations and
and projected an imminent recession,
lines, such as USD 3.2 for lower should reorient its focus and channel Bangladesh is the presence of effective overcome all obstacles in the end.
despite “Herculean” stimulus measures
middle-income countries and USD 5.5 resources from traditional sectors such clusters of Civil society organisations Following on those, it is presumed that
equivalent to USD two trillion from
for upper middle-income countries— as energy and physical infrastructure and NGOs. They, along with the Bangladesh will eventually emerge as
the US government. The title of the
suggesting that large numbers of the to social protection, poverty alleviating government, can play an important role a stronger nation after weathering the
OECD Interim Economic Assessment,
population are vulnerable even if they programmes, health insurance and in beneficiary identification, delivering perils of Covid-19.
published on March 2, 2020, was
“Coronavirus: The world economy at are not counted as poor. A reduction universal health programmes, as well resources to poor and vulnerable Bazlul H Khondker, PhD is a Professor in Economics
risk”. Similarly, Modi’s government cut in economic growth, along with a rise as programmes for small and medium populations, and monitoring the at the University of Dhaka.

ON THIS DAY CROSSWORD BY THOMAS JOSEPH BEETLE BAILEY BY MORT WALKER

ACROSS 34 Perp pursuers degree
IN HISTORY 1 Photo collection 36 Warring god 9 Crazy talk
6 Sign after Virgo 38 Entertain 10 Pub pints
11 Baseball’s Pee 40 Curacao’s 16 Knight’s title
Wee neighbor 18 Lounge attire
12 Basketball’s 43 Partners 19 Genesis name
Shaquille 44 Long lunches 21 Account
ESTABLISHMENT OF WHO 13 Enter, as data 45 Iron 23 Bike part
April 7, 1948 14 “The Duke” 46 Chop-house 24 Swimming spot
15 Burden order 25 Poet Sexton
The World Health 17 A bunch YESTERDAY’S ANSWERS
27 Takes in at the
18 Called up BABY BLUES BY KIRKMAN & SCOTT
Organization 20 “Get- writting” DOWN box office
(WHO), a dedicated 22 Strange 1 Place of refuge 30 Hot brew
23 Pop’s pop 2 Spike of film 33 Floppy cap
agency of the United 3 Known to be true 34 Scout’s base
26 Police ID
Nations that is 28 Seafood garnish 4 Putting to work 35 Poet Khayyam
concerned with 29 Dubai, e.g. 5 Bill of fare 37 Cheering cries
international public 31 Near-eternity 6 Near the ground 39 Snaky shape
32 Steamed 7 Queued up 41 Big snake
health, was formed 33 Hay bundle 8 To a very great 42 Demand
this day in 1948. WRITE FOR US. SEND US YOUR OPINION PIECES TO
[email protected].
10 COUNTRY DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24, 1426 BS

IMPACT OF COVID-19
Fall in fruit prices worries
Rangamati farmers
OUR CORRESPOND, Rangamati most of the traders could not come from
outside of Rangamati due to coronavirus
Despite bumper production of fruits,
outbreak.
growers in Rangamati are incurring losses
“The pineapple would be rotten at
as the price has fallen drastically in the local
garden if I couldn’t sell it timely. I sold a
markets of the district due to coronavirus
pair of pineapple at Tk 10 to Tk 15 today,
outbreak.
which was sold at Tk 30 to Tk 40 last week,”
According to the Department of
Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Rangamati, he added.
this time the farmers are very happy as they Another owner Suman Chakma of
are getting bumper production of fruits due Naniarchar upazila said “This year, I
to advanced planting. As a result, they are cultivated pineapple on two acres of land
earning good profit by selling the produces spending Tk 50,000. For the first time, I
this year compared to last year. came to the market to sell the produce. But
But prices of fruits have witnessed a I am disappointed as price of the fruit has
drastic fall in the local markets here in the fallen drastically.”
last 11 days amid adequate supply as the Muhammad Fazlu Mia, a watermelon
fear over coronavirus outbreak has kept grower in Rangamati Lemuchari area, said
customers and fruit traders in Rangamati he cultivated watermelon on four bighas of
and the adjoining districts. land. He sold the summer fruit at Tk 30,000
Traders from different areas in the till now. But a number of watermelons still
country usually come to Rangamati to buy lie in his field.
Suchitra Sen Smriti Sangrahashala (memorial museum) in Pabna town. PHOTO: STAR
fruits from farmers at the field, said local “I contacted with many traders from
growers, adding that but for the last few Chattogram to sell the watermelon but

Suchitra Sen’s 89th birth days, no traders were visiting the area due
to coronavirus fear and that’s why fruit
farmers from different hill areas are now
coming to local markets in the district to
sell their produces.
they told me they would not visit Rangamti
this time due to the fear of the disease. Now
I have to count huge losses as the price has
fallen drastically in the local markets,” he
added.

anniversary passes in silence During a visit to a market at Banarupa Md Belal Hossain, a local trader, said “I
Samataghat in Rangamati town on collect fruits from different hilly areas, but
Saturday, this correspondent saw that the I’m not buying those due to coronavirus
number of buyers dropped drastically. So, outbreak.
the growers were passing lazy time. Paban Kumar Chakma, deputy director
Nitimoy Chakma, owner of a pineapple of Rangamati DAE, said it is true that many
No programmes held for the legendary actress as orchard in Sadar upazila, said he came
to the market with 2000-piece pineapple
fruit farmers are now incurring losses as
prices of the fruits have drastically fallen
due to coronavirus outbreak.
gathering banned to check spread of Covid-19 for sale but he did not get fair prices as

AHMED HUMAYUN KABIR TOPU, Pabna Born on April 6 in 1931 at her maternal From 1978, Suchitra Sen kept herself
grandfather’s residence at Bhangabari village in detached from all the public appearances and
The 89th birth anniversary of legendary film
Belkuchi upazila under greater Pabna region, contacts. Consequently, the film fraternity and
actress Suchitra Sen passed in silence yesterday
Suchitra Sen grew up in her ancestral house media started comparing her with Greta Garbo,
as there is strict restriction on public gatherings at Gopalpur Hem Sagor Lane in Pabna town, the mysterious Hollywood star.
to check the spread of global pandemic where a memorial museum named ‘Suchitra In 2005, Suchitra Sen was offered India’s
Covid-19. Sen Smriti Sangrahashala’ has been set up. prestigious cinematic prize Dadasaheb Phalke
Ironically, people in general are having She along with her family members migrated Award but she refused it, apparently to avoid
an experience, at least for the time being, to Kolkata a few months before the partition of public appearance.
somewhat similar to that the Pabna-origin India in 1947. On January 17 in 2014, Suchitra Sen died of
great actress had during the later part of her life, There she was married with Dibanath Sen, old age complications at a hospital in Kolkata.
spending in mysterious quiet seclusion at home son of an wealthy industrialist. After her death, the Pabna district
for decades. Inspired by her husband and father-in-law, administration set up a memorial museum at
Programmes marking the birth anniversary Suchitra Sen joined the film world and made her ancestral house in the town.
of Suchitra Sen have been cancelled this year her debut as an actress in Bengali film ‘Shesh “Every year we organize programmes here in
due to the spread of Covid-19, Marufa Monjury Kothai’ in 1952. Later she performed in at least memory of the evergreen actress, a pride of the
Khan Soumee, district cultural officer of Pabna, 63 films including 7 Hindi films till 1978. people of Pabna,” said Jakir Hossain, president
told The Daily Star. With her elegant beauty with enchanting of Suchitra Sen Chalachitra Sangsad.
“People love Suchitra Sen and her film. Now smile and vibrant performance, Suchitra won But the historic house remains closed to
is the time to follow, at least for the time being, the hearts of hundreds of thousands of film public now as no programme has been arranged PHOTO: STAR
her living pattern in later part of life, as people viewers. on the occasion of her birth anniversary this A farmer tends his watermelon field in Lemuchari area of Rangamati Sadar upazila.
need to remain at home for evading the spread She lost her husband in a road accident in year due to the global spread of Covid-19, he Despite bumper production of fruits, growers in the district are incurring losses as the
of the highly contagious viral disease,” she said. 1969. said. price has fallen drastically in the local markets due to coronavirus outbreak.

LEVEES IN SUNAMGANJ

Rehabilitation works tainted

with corruption allegations
DWOHA CHOWDHURY, Sylhet However, officials of green organisation Haor The urgency of routinely maintaining the
Bachao Sunamganj Bachao said after visiting levees around the haors came to the fore in 2017
Allegations of irregularities and corruption
around 250 levees in the district, they found ample when flash floods destroyed Boro plants in vast
are surfacing over the recently completed
reasons to believe that the rehabilitation projects areas in the region, resulting in a shortfall in rice
rehabilitation and maintenance work on more
were rife with irregularities and corruption this production.
than 600 kilometres of different levees in
year too. After finding negligence of contractors and PICs
Sunamganj.
The organisation’s Joint Secretary Salehin that year, the government initiated ‘Kabita (Kajer
Bangladesh Water Development Board
Chowdhury said, “The irregularities and Binimoye Taka) Rules 2017’, a reformation in
(BWDB) finished the work on the levees corruption took place in three forms. Firstly, there policy that put PICs under control of government
surrounding 36 haors of the district after the were around 100 projects that were not necessary officials. Under the policy, no contractor is
deadline to finish the works was extended from [to be undertaken] for the protection of crops. awarded any work relating to construction or
A section of unscrupulous traders use the ground of PC Nall Memorial High School February 28 to March 20. Those [projects] were still implemented to serve rehabilitation of levees in haor areas.
in Netrakona’s Durgapur upazila for carrying sand on trucks, causing damage to the BWDB undertakes the routine maintenance the interests of some people.” According to the policy, all PICs must be
ground especially during rains. PHOTO: COLLECTED
work before the rainy season every year to protect “Secondly, around two hundred of the formed by November 30 of a year, the works
cultivated crops, especially Boro, from flash floods dykes were [already] in good condition as to be started by December 15 and those to be

Kids cannot play in

in thousands of hectares of land in Sunamganj. there was no flash flood in the district last completed by February 28.
Around Tk 132 crore was spent this year to year. But, full amount of money was allotted This year, Boro paddy has been cultivated on
conduct 633.36 kilometres of rehabilitation work [for rehabilitation of the dykes] and the PICs 2,19,450 hectares of land in Sunamganj while
under 746 projects in the district. The projects only had to spend a small amount [of the last year’s cultivation area was 2,28,440 hectares,

school ground for

were implemented by same number of Project allotted funds] to show that the works had been said Mohammad Sofor Uddin, deputy director
Implementation Committees (PIC). completed.” of Department of Agricultural Extension in
Last year, BWDB spent Tk 80 crore to complete And finally, all the dykes are now vulnerable Sunamganj.
450 kilometres of rehabilitation work on the as none of the PICs stabilised the soil of the Abdul Ahad, deputy commissioner of
dykes under 572 projects. dykes, he said, adding that slopes of most of the Sunamganj, said whenever he was informed of

10 years
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Mymensingh
Asked about the status of this year’s work,
BWDB Executive Engineer in Sunamganj Sabibur
Rahman said, “All PICs completed their work.
Only a few grass carpeting works are still being
dykes are also not up to the mark as grass was not
planted there properly.
For decades, the government has been
spending heavily on the rehabilitation work of
negligence in the dyke rehabilitation works, he
directed the upazila nirbahi officer concerned to
take action.
“For accountability, we provide payments to
are yet to take any steps to stop plying
finished. We are now monitoring the weather the levees in haor regions to ensure protection of the PICs in instalments. They will get their final
of the sand-laden vehicles, said the
Students of PC Nall Memorial High School and put the [newly restored] dykes under close Boro harvest, which is a significant contributor to instalment payment after the harvest -- only if the
headmaster.
in Netrakona are deprived of playing as observation.” the country’s agricultural economy. dyke protects it [the crop],” he also said.
Turya Turon Mree, a ninth grader of
hundreds of sand-laden vehicles have
the school, said they cannot play at the
been plying through a portion of the
ground due to indiscriminate plying of
school playground for years.
sand-laden trucks and lorries. Ignoring the risk during
The school is situated on the bank of
To reach school, they have to cross the
the Sumeswary river in Durgapur upazila the ongoing spread
road amid risk of accident every day, said
headquarters. Turya. of highly contagious
A group of local traders have been Above all, sound pollution is a very disease Covid-19 across
using the school playground for sand serious menace when they attend classes, the globe, a section of
trade for a decade, said locals, adding that said Omar Faruq, a tenth grader of the
the traders lift sand from the river and people continue inter-
school.
stack the extracted sand nearby and trucks district travels on different
Pankaj Marak, president of a majority
take it to different districts of the country. faction of GBC in Durgapur, said many modes of transport
Established in 1896, the school is run guardians are sending their kids to including food-carrying
by Garo Baptist Convention (GBC) in another school to avoid risk of accident. trucks. The photo, taken
Durgapur. It has some 500 students. Once the school was famous for its
Around 400 sand-laden trucks and
from Banani bus stand
football team in Netrakona but now the
lorries ply through the school playground area of Rangpur-Dhaka
children are deprived of playing, lamented
every day and a group of vested quarter Pankaj. Highway in Bogura
realises Tk 200 to Tk 250 as toll from each Md Alal Uddin, a sand trader and also yesterday, reflects a hard
vehicle, said local people. the president of Durgapur upazila Awami reality – working class
Headmaster Md Fazlul Haque said League, said “Whether it’s blessing or people’s urge to join their
Prof Samerendra Sangma, president of curse, sand trading is now going on in the
the school managing committee, lodged workplace for managing
area in full swing.”
a case with a Netrakona court in 2016 and Mayor of Durgapur municipality the bare necessities for
the court then imposed a ban on plying of Abdus Salam said he is not aware of it. But the family during the crisis
sand-laden vehicles on the school ground he will look into the matter. period.
for six months. No sand-laden trucks ply Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farzana
through the playground during the time. Khanam said necessary steps will be taken
Despite repeated pleas, the authorities in this regard after investigation. PHOTO: MOSTOFA SHABUJ
 e-mail: [email protected]
DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24, 1426 BS

Reminiscence: My
first match
In these times of social distancing, we must be safe
while remembering that we do not get too used to
the world being at a standstill. We were meant to
go watch matches together, agree with a few of our
neighbours and disagree with the rest. So, we are
taking turns at The Daily Star Sport talking about
our first live experience at a sports venue.
ANISUR RAHMAN from Dhaka, 1998 about 2:00pm, three hours before
the scheduled kick-off in the hope of
I grew up in a district watching a high-voltage match sitting
that has long been in the gallery.
a breeding ground The gallery at the BNS, as expected,
for many renowned seemed empty except for some
athletes and also one spectators, split into five or six groups,
that hosted a lot of playing cards, and we had big smiles
national events, apart from local on our faces. But it lasted only a few
leagues of football, cricket, hockey minutes as we failed to find a spot. We
and many other sports. So, there was stepped up to find seats but we time
(L-R) Bayern Munich’s Alvaro Odriozola, Javi Martinez, Lucas Hernandez and other members of the team and coaching staff attend a training session never a shortage of enthusiasm among and again heard a common call: “Oh
in Munich on Monday, working in small groups while maintaining distance, as the Bundesliga giants resumed their training sessions for the first time locals for sports, be it national meets bhai, can’t you see the papers laid on
since the postponement of the league. PHOTO: AFP or local, and I was no exception. the gallery; that place is booked, go
Although most memories have now elsewhere.”
faded, I can still recall some instances

German clubs back in training

It brought to mind the famous line
at Shamsul Huda Stadium in Jashore. from Ancient Mariner -- “Water, water
Now, having already reached the everywhere, nor any drop to drink”. To
wrong side of 40, one childhood us, it was – empty space, empty space
sporting memory is still vivid -- that of everywhere, nor any seat to sit.
AFP, Berlin March 13. On the pitch, Bayern’s stars Bayern are four points clear in spectators rappelling up a side of the We had suffered for three hours
“It was a very unusual feeling were careful to keep their distance the Bundesliga table. stadium to enter the gallery to watch before the start of the match and spent
Bundesliga leaders
to hold a training session in small from each other and there were no At the training ground of their an exhibition football match between nearly another two hours to view the
Bayern Munich
resumed training groups, but it was also nice to see challenges or tackles. closest rivals Borussia Dortmund, Jessore District Ekadosh and the BKSP Abahani-Mohammedan match live
Monday for the first the boys in person again,” said Once training was over, the the players also did not shower team that had created buzz across from the gallery for the first time in
time since the German Neuer after Bayern had previously players left to shower at home, or eat on site after a session that the country by winning the Dana & our lives, but the experience at BNS
league was suspended due to held training sessions online. where they ate food provided by the focused on running and shooting. Gothia Cup abroad, although the was totally different for the England-
coronavirus but the players were After arriving at staggered times club in lunch boxes. The only clubs in Germany’s result and performances of BKSP stars South Africa match two years later.
put through their paces in small to limit contact -- with no greeting Bayern asked fans to stay away top flight not planning group has now totally faded from memory. Although cricketing support in the
groups and maintained social hugs or handshakes -- the 21-man from the Saebener Strasse complex, training this week are Freiburg, I wasn’t given any opportunities country was mostly divided along
distancing measures. squad was split into five groups, where hundreds of supporters whose players continue to work to travel to Dhaka to watch any big Indian and Pakistani lines, I supported
Keeping at least 1.5 metres each containing a maximum of five usually turn up to see their heroes. individually, and Werder Bremen, matches involving Mohammedan South Africa and enjoyed the day-night
from each other, players including players. When they changed, the Other clubs also cautiously where the city’s senate still prevents SC and Abahani from the stands, match, watching the performances of
captain Manuel Neuer, Robert players were kept four metres apart resumed training Monday, after the training in groups. so I did not miss the opportunity to Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Hansie
Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller in the changing rooms at the club’s league’s ban on doing so until April So far, more than 1,434 people stand witness whenever the chance Cronje, Daryll Cullinan, Pat Symcox
trained together for the first time state-of-the-art training complex in 5 passed, amid hopes the league have died in Germany from came my way after being admitted at and others in the flesh.
since the Bundesliga was halted on southern Germany. will resume in early May. coronavirus. a university in Dhaka in 1996. All of those well-built cricketers
After completing my Masters from looked gigantic each to me and I
a university in Dhaka, I unexpectedly enjoyed some stellar fielding displays

Stars’ inspiration
entered sports journalism and that from Rhodes and the bowling of Kallis.
gave me a lot of chances to watch England batsmen, however, struggled
international and domestic matches against the disciplined bowling from
live from the press box. But watching South Africa, the swashbuckling and
the ICC Wills International Cup timely innings in the lower-middle
fixture between South Africa and order from Adam Hollioake really
It can be one particular incident or a specific person that England from the BNS galley in 1998 enthralled me and England put a
inspires someone to make up his mind towards a specific is something that is still fresh in my challenging target for South Africa.
mind. The scene under the floodlights
target and follow that direction. Much like every other Having waited for nearly three perhaps entranced me more than
aspect in life, the stars of today have also gone through hours on Elephant Road early in the Hollioake’s innings, as each of the
morning, we bought 10 tickets from cricketer really appeared different to
such situations when they decided to chase their dreams the bank and our wait was finally me. It may have been because of their
over as a group of 10 male and female height, the brightness of their dresses,
seriously. The Daily Star’s Mazhar Uddin tried to find out friends carrying snacks, water and my hidden excitement or the frequent
from three national team cricketers on how they first took National women’s football team captain Sabina Khatun placards of four and six, entered the thunderous applause.
(L) with her injured sister Salma at the Satkhira sadar lower part of Western Gallery to watch South Africa were on course for a
up cricket, who were their inspiration and what made hospital on Sunday night. PHOTO: COLLECTED
my first international match in 1998. win and we all left the stadium a bit
them determined to become a cricketer in future. In 1996, after entering, there was before, thinking that we would fail

MOHAMMAD MITHUN thought of becoming a cricketer till then.

Two arrested over attack a bitter experience that I still recall
to those close to me. I, along with
to find any transport to head back to
the university’s dormitories when all
two other university friends, went spectators would get out altogether.
I used to play all sorts of
sports in my early days --
My elder brother Pushpen Sarkar and my
father actually insisted me to play cricket on Sabina’s family to Bangabandhu National Stadium
to watch the league clash between
That night I, along with other friends,
left the stadium but took with us some
football, cricket, badminton and you can say they both inspired me to A CORRESPONDENT Mohammedan and Abahani in 1996. sweet memories that have lasted 22
– something that every become a cricketer. I got admitted to BKSP
We entered the north-west gallery at years and counting.
teenager experiences. My but I was yet to get that feeling towards Two persons were arrested on Sunday night over an attack
elder brother Ikhtiar Hossain Milon was a cricket. Back in 2007 there was a tour of on national women’s football team captain Sabina Khatun
star tape-ball cricket player in our area and India for the Bangladesh under-17 side and and her family members in Sabujbagh of Satkhira sadar
I used to be a huge fan of him. One day I couldn’t make it to that tour due to some upazila earlier in the evening.
my brother told me that there was no point issues with my passport. That incident The arrested are Sabina’s neighbour Imran Gazi and his
in playing all sports; rather I should focus really disappointed me, but at the same mother Lata Begum.
on one. So, I chose cricket over football time made me determined to focus only on The arrests were made late in the night after Sabina’s
and then he told me about BKSP, where cricket. elder sister, Shirin Khatun, filed a case at the Satkhira sadar
my main job would be just playing and at LITON DAS police station against four alleged attackers – Zafar Gazi,
the same time, I could continue with my I was very excited the first time went to his wife Lata and their two sons, confirmed Mohammad
studies. I worked hard to get admitted at a practise session in Dinajpur back in Asaduzzaman, officer-in-charge of the station.
the BKSP and once I got there and became a 2006. I used to practise under my coach The complainant stated that the four alleged attackers,
part of the disciplined environment, I made Abu Salam Tipu, who used to support and who had a long-standing feud with Sabina’s family, came
up my mind to take the game seriously. inspire me a lot. In the very next year, I got to their house and started arguing and scolding their father
My real inspiration was not a national a chance in the Bangladesh under-13 team Syed Ali. When faced with protest, the attackers launched
team player when I decided to become a and in 2008 I got admitted to BKSP. So, an assault on Sabina’s father and the rest of their family
cricketer; instead it was my elder brother. you can say it was Tipu sir who inspired members, leaving them injured.
SOUMYA SARKAR me to become a cricketer. My brother, too, Sabina, her father and her eldest sister Salma Khatun
It was back in 2004 when I first went to encouraged me a lot. After I got admitted were sent to the Satkhira sadar hospital for treatment after England batsman Adam Hollioake slog-sweeps while scoring an unbeaten
a ground to play a match with a cricket at the BKSP, I made up my mind that I the attack. While Sabina and her father were later released 83 during the 1998 Wills International Cup match against South Africa at the
ball. It was a school cricket game. I used to would utilise the next six years there to following primary treatment, Salma was still undergoing
watch cricket on TV but honestly, I never play for my country. treatment for serious injuries on her body and head.
Bangabandhu National Stadium on October 25, 1998. PHOTO: COLLECTED

Guardiola’s mother Southgate takes 30pc wage cut Jabbarer Boli

dies from COVID-19 REUTERS, London employees earning 50,000 pounds or Khela cancelled
AFP, London more per annum will take a temporary
England manager
pay reduction of 7.5%,” he said, SPORTS REPORTER
Gareth Southgate has adding that the FA could lose more
Pep Guardiola’s 82-year-old mother has died after contracting agreed a 30% wage
coronavirus, Manchester City announced on Monday. than 150 million pounds in revenue if The century-old Jabbarer Boli Khela, a traditional wrestling
reduction according to the situation does not stabilise soon. competition of Chattogram, has been cancelled for the first
“The Manchester City family are devastated to report British media reports
the death today of Pep’s mother Dolors Sala Carrio in “We’re also looking into what time due to the coronavirus pandemic, organisers said in a
after the FA’s CEO Mark Bullingham options are available to us through statement on Sunday.
Manresa, Barcelona, after contracting coronavirus,” the
said on Monday that its highest the government’s furlough scheme as The 111th edition of the competition and three days of
Premier League club said in a statement.
“Everyone associated with the club sends their most earners would take significant pay cuts a contingency plan while we continue Boishakhi Fair in the Laldighi Maidan area of the port city,
heartfelt sympathy at this most distressing time to Pep, his during the coronavirus crisis. to plan for the return of football, once which were scheduled to be held from April 25, have been
family and all their friends.” The pandemic has brought English it is safe to do so.” cancelled, the statement said.
football to a standstill and Bullingham GARETH SOUTHGATE The Times reported that Southgate The organisational secretary of the wrestling competition
Guardiola, 49, last month donated one million euros
($1 million) to buy medical supplies for the fight against said the lack of international matches responsibility, the senior management would take a wage cut of 225,000 and the fair, Mohammad Jamal Hossain, said in the
the coronavirus pandemic in his native Spain. and FA Cup games will cost the team have agreed to cut their pay by pounds over the next three months, statement, “Due to the worldwide outbreak of coronavirus,
Spain declared Monday a fourth consecutive drop in country’s soccer governing body 15%, with the highest earners in the while England Women’s team the country is in a difficult situation. The Prime Minister
the number of coronavirus-related deaths, with 637 over around 100 million pounds ($122.89 organisation agreeing to reduce their manager Phil Neville and the men’s has cancelled all events in the country including Boishakhi
the past 24 hours, the lowest number in nearly two weeks. million). pay by up to 30%,” Bullingham said England under-21 manager Aidy celebrations. In these disastrous times, the fair committee
950 fatalities on Thursday brought the total deaths in the “In the spirit of those on in a statement on the FA website. Boothroyd will take reductions in the has taken the decision to cancel the Bolikhela, scheduled
country to 13,055. higher salaries taking the greater “We are proposing that all region of 15-30%. for April 25, and the fair.”
12 DHAKA TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020, CHAITRA 24, 1426 BS

Scrambling STAY HOME,

STAY WELL
for survival Use online
Online women entrepreneurs see
earnings plummet amid virus scare services to learn
NILIMA JAHAN new things
When Sumaiya Akter got a divorce around four years ago, MOHAMMAD AL-MASUM MOLLA
she had nowhere to go with her baby boy. Her own parents
had died when she was a child. Self-isolation and social distancing
Rising to the challenge, she took a beautification training are effective in slowing the spread
from a parlour and opened a Facebook page named “Shafif of Covid-19. While staying home
Glamour World”, through which she started providing at- without any knowledge on exactly
home beauty salon services in Dhaka. when the situation will improve, one
“I built a circle of customers as I promoted my page and can nurture a hobby and students can
my contact number through leaflets. I earned around Tk engage in extra-curricular activities
3,000 daily,” she said, which she supported herself and her with the aid of online materials.
son with. Eminent reciter Hasan Arif
Since March, however, her income has dwindled to said staying home without doing
“zero” as the country inched to a shutdown. “I called anything is impossible. But by
some of my regular customers but they all said they are engaging in creative activities, people
not letting anyone enter their house due to the virus,” said can have a great time and connect
Sumaiya. with friends and family members.
“I am currently living on my savings but it is going to “I took an initiative. I took this
finish soon. I don’t know how I will get by then and when opportunity to teach people how to
this situation will come to an end.” recite. People like singers can teach
In recent times, with the rise of Facebook as a platform the basics of popular songs or can
to market goods and increased online shopping in the sing to an online audience and be
country, some started small online businesses. involved with people,” he said.
Many of these were run by women, some who started Most of his online students are
working from home alongside raising their children and A few women sitting idle around their roadside tea-stalls in the capital’s Kalyanpur area yesterday. boy scouts and girl guides, he said,
PHOTO:
household work. As people are staying indoors during the shutdown enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus, SK ENAMUL HAQ SEE PAGE 4 COL 1
SEE PAGE 4 COL 2 hundreds of such tea-stall owners are not being able to earn.

An act worth Two ‘yaba traders’ COVID-19-LIKE SYMPTOMS

FIRST YEAR OF BANGLADESH
replicating BANGABANDHU’S NATION-BUILDING CHALLENGES killed in ‘gunfight’
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Cox’s Bazar
12 die in 48 hours
RMG company in Gazipur
gives workers two months’
‘Rise above petty interest’ Two suspected yaba traders were killed in a
“gunfight” in Cox’s Bazar’s Taknaf upazila
STAR REPORT
At least 12 people, mostly elderly, have died since Sunday after showing
early yesterday. Covid-19-like symptoms, while many houses have been locked down and
wages before closure The dead were identified as families home-quarantined in different districts to slow down the spread
TUHIN SHUBHRA ADHIKARY Mahmudullah, 26, and Mohammad of coronavirus across the country.
Mizan, 28, our Cox’s Bazar correspondent In Gazipur, a 25-year-old woman died after showing flu-like symptoms
At a time when many garment factory reports quoting police. in Torgaon Khandakar para area of Kapasia upazila yesterday.
owners are facing criticism for keeping Searching a microbus, police recovered She was suffering from fever, respiratory disease and a sore throat. A
their units open during the countrywide five thousand yaba pills and arrested its sample from her body would be sent to IEDCR for testing, said Abdus
coronavirus shutdown, an owner has set driver Mahmudullah on Sunday around Salam Sarkar, Kapasia upazila health and family planning officer.
a good example by giving two month’s 9:00am, Prodip Kumar Das, officer-in- In Faridpur, a 70-year-old man died after showing the same symptoms
salaries to his workers and other staffers. charge (OC) of Teknaf Police Station, said. at the isolation unit of Faridpur Medical College Hospital yesterday
SP Group, which runs two composite Based on his confessional statement, morning, said Saifur Rahman, superintendent of the hospital.
knit garment factories in Memberbari area a police team conducted a raid at In Habiganj, a 63-year-old man died at Panchhari Asrayan project
of Gazipur, also assured its workers and SEE PAGE 4 COL 1 SEE PAGE 2 COL 1
employees of providing Eid bonus and not Bangabandhu addressing the council session of Awami League
sacking anyone during this tough time. on April 7, 1972.
AMC Knit Composite Ltd and SP
Fashion Ltd were declared closed on APRIL 7, 1972
March 25. Around 3,300 workers and SHAMSUDDOZA SAJEN
employees of the factories were paid their
salaries and allowances for March and also FIRST COUNCIL OF AWAMI LEAGUE
for April in advance. AFTER INDEPENDENCE
Speaking to The Daily Star, SP Group Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,
Managing Director Shubal Chandra Saha president of Bangladesh Awami League,
yesterday said, “As I cannot go to the asks his party men to rise above petty
factories due to health safety issues, I must interest and engage themselves in
have to think about the health safety of my constructive work to take the war-ravaged
workers and employees. So, we shut down country towards the path of progress.
the factories.” Addressing the first council meeting of the party after the
Asked about paying salaries in advance, independence, Bangabandhu refers to reports alleging that some
he said, “I know their one-month income Awami League workers and MCAs are engaged in internecine
will be gone with the payment of their SEE PAGE 4 COL 2
SEE PAGE 4 COL 5

A Rab official talking

to members of a family
travelling in an ambulance
in the capital’s Shyamoli
area yesterday amid the
nationwide shutdown. The
family was on its way to
Kishoreganj from Aricha
in Manikganj when a Rab
team stopped the vehicle
at a check-post. The team
fined the ambulance driver,
took his licence and asked
him to collect it after
dropping the family off at
its destination.

PHOTO:
AMRAN HOSSAIN

Death at home
The unseen toll of Italy’s coronavirus crisis
REUTERS, Milan prescribed, over the phone, was a mild
painkiller and a broad-spectrum antibiotic.
It took Silvia Bertuletti 11 days of frantic
phone calls to persuade a doctor to visit “My father was left to die alone, at home,
her 78-year-old father Alessandro, who was without help,” Bertuletti, 48, said. “We
gripped by fever and struggling for breath. were simply abandoned. No one deserves PRAYER TIMING
When an on-call physician did go to her an end like that.”
house near Bergamo, at the epicentre of Interviews with families, doctors and APRIL 7
nurses in Italy’s stricken Lombardy region Fazr Zohr Asr Maghrib Esha
the coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy,
on the evening of March 18, it was too late. indicate that Bertuletti’s experience is not AZAN 4-40 12-45 4-456-21 7-45
Alessandro Bertuletti was pronounced uncommon, that scores are dying at home JAMAAT 5-15 1-15 5-00 6-24 8-15
dead at 1:10am on March 19, 10 minutes as symptoms go unchecked and that phone
before an ambulance called hours earlier consultations are not always enough. SOURCE:
arrived. The only medication he had been SEE PAGE 5 COL 2 ISLAMIC FOUNDATION

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