Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked the deputy commissioners to ensure prompt punishment through mobile courts, if necessary, to the plunderers of relief goods meant for mitigating the hardship of the needy people during the COVID-19 crisis.
‘A few reports surfaced, so far, regarding arrests of some people for misappropriating relief goods. I hope everyone involved in these misdeeds would be arrested. No mercy should be shown to them,’ she said while addressing 16 deputy commissioners in Khulna and Barishal divisions from Ganabhaban, her official residence.
‘We are trying our best to help all, including the day labourers, small traders and the people who cannot seek relief due to their social dignity, by reaching foods to their doorsteps as they are passing their days in hardship as they have no works due to the shutdown in wake of the coronavirus pandemic,’ she said.
She said that a few incidents of relief misappropriation are hurting the nation.
‘This is a matter of shame. So, I request all not to indulge in such misdeeds,’ Hasina said.
She asked the concerned authorities, particularly the local administration and law enforcement agencies, to take necessary steps to ensure that people stay home and maintain social distancing during the corona infection shutdown.
She said that her government was trying its best to contain the spread of corona virus infection as Bangladesh is a densely populated country and it would be tough to check coronavirus spread without the countrymen’s support.
She asked the local administrations to conduct massive campaigns to make the people aware about the directives issued by the health ministry from time to time.
She asked the concerned authorities including the local administration and law enforcement agencies of the 16 districts of the two divisions, particularly the coronavirus-free districts, to ensure that no outsiders can enter into the districts, to check the spread of deadly virus.
She asked the bordering districts of the divisions to ensure compulsory home quarantine of the returnees from the neighbouring country through land ports.
She instructed the local administration to ensure marketing and diversified use of milk, when her attention was drawn to the fact that 52,000 litres of milk out of 2,78000 litres produced per day in Satkhira district go unsold.
She also asked the district administrations to take effective measures in preserving shrimp and lobster in a proper manner as those could be exported later.
The prime minister greeted the Christian community on Easter Sunday they were celebrating on Sunday and called upon them not to gather at churches together to check the spread of coronavirus infection.
She reiterated her call to all to celebrate the Pahela Baishakh, the Bangla New Year, through digital platform, staying home.
The DCs assured the prime minister that her government’s target of producing crops, particularly rice would be achieved.
They said that they have already taken measures to bring each piece of arable land under cultivation following her directive.
