Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday assured the people that the government has paid special attention to keep them safe from coronavirus, amid concerns over the worsening virus situation in winter.
She said the government will procure a vaccine as soon as it is available and has already given advance booking for a vaccine in the later stages of development.
"We have given special attention to keeping people secure [from coronavirus] and put aside other issues. The people of the country don’t need to be anxious," she said while opening various development projects, including three bridges in Magura, Narayanganj, Jashore and Pabna, through a video conference from her official residence, Ganabhaban.
Sheikh Hasina further said another wave of coronavirus is raging worldwide and the government is taking preparation to face it.
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She again urged everyone to follow health instructions. "Keep yourself protected and keep others protected," she said, adding that it is a shared responsibility.
The prime minister said the government and the people now have experience facing Covid-19.
"We firmly believe that we will be able to do that [successfully tackle a second wave]," she said.
The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Bangladesh stands at 445,281, with 6,350 fatalities. The death rate is 1.43%.
So far, 360,352 patients – 80.93%– have recovered, including 1,921 in the last 24 hours.
The first cases in Bangladesh were reported on March 8 and the first death on March 18. Although the prime minister has been warning of a second wave, the people still appear reluctant to follow health guidelines.
The government has recently adopted a “no mask, no service” policy and launched a drive to ensure the use of masks by people.
