The word ‘Foresight’ is coming to my mind again and again. In explaining the meaning of the word English ‘Foresight’, the Cambridge Dictionary has explained - 'The ability to judge what is going to happen in the future and plan your actions based on this knowledge' - that is, based on what exactly is happening now and what is going to happen in future. Set up an action plan on the basis of that. The singular Bengali meaning of the word is ‘foresight’. It sounds pretty heavy. If anyone does that, or can do it — we respect him, we owe him. As a Bangalee I have the right to say that Bangalee as a nation has never come close to this qualification. ‘Let me see what the rascal does’ relating to the story of the ‘thief and the housekeeper’ is most similar to our attitude. I don't like to repeat the story. Because all the readers know it and I understand why I am talking.
There is no point in saying that the picture that we are now visualizing during the corona pandemic and everything we have done in the near past, the incidents that took place, measures we took, the predictions we have made, whatever we did- it is very much to say that we did it with foresight.
There is no chance of making such claim of doing with foresight after the death of Dr. Md. Moyeenuddin on Wednesday (April 15), Assistant Professor of Medicine at the MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet. Dr. Moyeen himself was infected by the corona virus while giving treatment to the corona patients. This specialist physician died while undergoing treatment at Kurmitola General Hospital in Dhaka. He died after fighting with corona for ten days.
Just a month back. The day was March 16. Our Health Minister was said there is nothing to fear about the corona virus. So far no corona virus infected has been identified in the country. So there is nothing scary about it. Then, what happened in a month is not unknown the havoc is happening in the country by this little invisible Covid -19. On April 15 we have lost the first doctor in the country. Fifty names were added with him in the procession of death. 1231 people infected. The media quoting the government's calculations is saying that now transmissions are spreading throughout the capital. Infections have been detected in more than half of the capital's areas. About 56 percent of the total patients identified in the country are residents of the capital. The infection has been detected in 22 districts of the country.
If we look at the latest graph published on barta24.com, the curve of Bangladesh is rising steeply. On last April 2, the new attack was 2 people, on April 4 it became 9 people, April 5 was 18, April 6, was 35, on April 8 it was 54 people. And on April 9, it increased to 112 people. This was more than double of the previous day. The number of new infections dropped slightly on April 10 and 11, though the new infection was 90 and 58 respectively, but on April 12, the number just jumped to 139. Then it does not looking back. Every day a new record is set. On April 13, 182 people were newly infected. On New Year's Day, it crossed 200 i.e. it became 209. And on April 15 it rose to 209.
The upward trajectory of the corona virus says, we had no idea in March, what dreadful situation is going to happen in April.
Here we can see the example of New Zealand. The country was not attacked in that way. Being a high tourist-dependent country, only one people have died in corona in this country. The number of infected is around one thousand. Four people are in critical condition. Prime Minister Jasinda Ordran's statement to the Kiwi people was such as, "Suppose you being a Covid -19 patient is locked in your house, and keep others out of your reaches."
Again Vietnam? It is a country like ours. But not a single person died by the virus. 255 people were infected. There is no new infection now. How? The country decided to close its educational institutions on February 2. During that week, 14 days of isolation was made mandatory for anyone coming from abroad. Be it China or Djibouti or Papua New Guinea. Two weeks later, in the third week of February, people from parts of the country, including Hanoi were sent to mandatory quarantine for 21 days. This brought the initial success to the country. The country got praise from the world. Despite being in such a good condition, the Vietnam government sent the country to a total lockdown from March 31 as the epidemic of Covid-19 continued to increase in many countries around the world.
Just after one month two weeks the day Vietnam closed down the educational institutions, our two ministers in charge of our education said that there was no situation to shut down the educational institutions. However, the decision will be taken as directed by the Ministry of Health. Later, when the situation became very serious, we closed the educational institutions for two phases now have been closed indefinitely.
In the second week of February, Vietnam imposed a14-day isolation on immigrants, and Bangladesh was only stuck in China at that time. Later, when the situation started worsening in Italy and the migrant Bangladeshis began to return in large number, a little restriction was imposed, but not much control was possible. In the second week of March the returnees were given a requesting letter to stay in home isolation. In the fourth week the stamping of seals on the hand after throwaway testing has begun.
Flights from China and Italy continued. After arriving they started clashes at the airports. They started fleeing traceless. They did not keep themselves aloof from the public. Some got married, some attended social functions. The returnees attended prayer in the mosques, Milad Mahfil, circumcision function and so on.
But Vietnam socially resisted it. It is the responsibility of the neighbor to check if anyone is coming from abroad. It gives results.
The very day in March, we told the countrymen there was nothing to fear. On that very day, President Macron of France issued a war like situation in his country. He told each citizen to stay indoors for 15 days. In his speech to the nation, he said, we are now engaged in war. Further, he told that the enemy is invisible. Against which all have to come together in a common fight.
The movement of every citizen of the French was ultimately regulated. Everyone was confined in the house. Only the emergency services and there people will move out. And if anyone disobeys this instruction, they will be punished.
Do we still have a real lockdown when this is look of the world? Could not. Now we are announcing part lockdown. People are wandering around for no reason. While capital is somewhat possible, the situation in other parts of the country is uncontrollable. In the meantime, a group of garment workers were brought to Dhaka and sent back instantly through wrong handling. In the name of giving relief public gatherings are being held almost every day. In Narayanganj, there was an agitation procession.
It is not known exactly where this uncontrolled management and the consequences of foresight lacking will go!