Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the government has taken all-out preparations to bring Covid-19 vaccine whenever it is made available.
"The vaccine is about to be invented or research works are going on, we've given advance booking so that we can bring vaccine at once after its invention. We're taking steps for that purpose. We've taken all out preparations for that," she said while delivering her speech in the parliament.
Responding to a criticism from the deputy leader of the opposition and Jatiya Party leader GM Quader, she said educational institutions were opened in America and European countries including UK, but they were later shut down as the number of coronavirus infections was shooting up alarmingly.
"We've also discussed to open our educational institutions. If opened, students, teachers and guardians would go to the respective institutions. Coronavirus is contagious, a vaccine is yet to be invented. Why should we take the risk? We can't push our people towards death risk. We have to keep that in mind too," she said.
Regarding auto promotion, she said this was also followed in England and other countries.
She mentioned that at present, the educational institutions follow the semester system and through this system, the result can be given taking previous semesters’ result into consideration.
"By giving auto promotion, it' not right that massive damage has been dealt to students' lives," she said.
Also read - PM: Mask up as Covid-19’s second wave looms large
Sheikh Hasina said the second wave of Covid-19 has already hit Europe and America and it has started to come to our country too. "We've been very cautious about it from the very beginning," the prime minister said.
She said the last time, the government could not complete all preparations as it came suddenly.
"This time we have taken more preparations," she said.
The prime minister requested all to wear masks when they go out and drink warm water as a precaution.
She said the government has taken steps to move the economy and for that, assistance has been provided to the grassroots level.
Regarding the transformation of government system by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, Sheikh Hasina said he created a national unity.
"His aim was to increase production and make the country prosperous and developed quickly. For that he wanted to take the power to the grassroots through decentralization, from where the development would be started," she said.
