Sheikh Hasina said, the Bangalee nation was never defeated and will also not be defeated beaten in future. We’ll have to move with such self-confidence.
The Prime Minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had liberated the country. We won in the liberation war by taking arms in our hands responding to his call, she added. She went on saying, we are a victorious nation and we believe that we’ve courage and strength to face any disaster.
The Prime Minister said this while receiving donation for her relief and welfare fund from various government and private organizations through a videoconference from her official Ganabhaban residence on Sunday (March 29) afternoon.
She also said it is very much necessary to reach foods to the day-laborers and working class people during this crisis period. Sheikh Hasina added, we have to take measures in such a way that we can protect every person of the country from the deadly disease.
The Premier mentioned that the day-laborers, working class and lower middle income people are passing days in hardship as their sources of income have almost stopped due to outbreak of the disease. So it’s very much essential to reach foods to them, she said.
Sheikh Hasina, however, said the government has sent food grains and cash money to the deputy commissioners (DCs) through the Ministry of Relief and Disaster to distribute those among the poor and distressed people.
The Prime Minister said rickshaw and van-pullers and transport workers, including drivers and helpers, cannot manage foods as they are staying home in the present situation.
Elaborating her government’s planned measures to fend off the fatal virus, the Premier said that after understanding the grave concern over the global outbreak, the government acted very seriously from the very outset of this crisis.
Stressing the need for ensuring safety of the physicians and nurses and others who are providing treatment, the prime minister said the government has taken necessary initiatives in this regard.
Sheikh Hasina also urged the people to follow ‘stay at home’ and health safety rules properly to protect themselves from the deadly virus.
The Prime Minister advised the people who went to their villages to produce food grains by utilizing every inch of land. Produce food grains as much as possible as there may have a possibility of dearth of food worldwide due to this crisis, she said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said such a danger comes once in hundred years. In the past, in 1820, in 1920, there had been one disaster all over the world. However, since the technology was not developed and used in the past, there was no opportunity to know how many people died in a country. But nowadays as the use of technology has increased, I can find out all the facts due to the media whenever there is an incident. As a result, nowadays, we see an awful situation all over the world.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that the soil of the country is very fertile and the people are very laborious. So, if we work hard we could help other countries by providing foods after meeting our domestic demand, she said.
In this connection, the prime minister said the country has sufficient stock of food. “There will be no crisis of food grains for the next one year and till the harvest of next crop,” she added.
The Prime Minister said nobody was detected with coronavirus in the last 24 hours since March 26. So it’s a good sign and we will have to keep up this situation, she said.
The Prime Minister thanked the individuals and organizations that donated to her relief and welfare fund.
On behalf of the Premier, her Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus received the cheques for the donation from the officials of the organizations at the Prime Minister’s Office.