Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday ruled out the possibility of imposing the state of emergency right now to fight coronavirus outbreak, saying that people have already started to keep themselves isolated.
Talking about a controversy on a suggestion of the World Health Organization, the minister told the FE that, "Some people are spreading panic. We have discussed with the World Health Organization about the matter. They have said that they did not advise to impose emergency rule.”
“The people of the country have been showing positive approach to the situation. They understand that the situation is serious and started to keep themselves isolated” he added.
The minister said that Bangladesh would be able to address the challenges of coronavirus pandemic with the joint efforts of the people and the government.
“This is a new challenge and we do not know many things about this virus but we are hopeful to overcome it” he said.
He said the government is continuing fight against the outbreak and necessary steps are underway to supply preventive equipment across the country.
The government has requested expatriate Bangladeshis to bury a person, died of corona, in their respective places instead of sending those to home.
“We are requesting all our expatriate brothers and sisters to arrange the burial of a person, died of Corona, at their places” Dr Momen said while talking to the FE.
Citing an example he said when a Bangladeshi person died of corona in the UK few days ago, his relatives wanted to bury their body in Bangladesh.
“They were in quarantine and could not receive the body. They also wanted to hold Namaj-e-Janaza that person in Bangladesh. So they requested us. But when we contacted with the British government they told us that the cost to send the body will be three times more now due to the flight restrictions. And later the body was buried there” the foreign minister narrated.
He said that the women who died in Sylhet on Saturday night was a returnee from the UK but it was yet to be confirmed whether she died of corona or not.
"We have asked government officials in Sylhet to ensure quarantine for the returnees from abroad," the minister said.
The local people in Sylhet are more concerned as the number of expatriates is huge in the district, he added.
