Over 55 government agencies, public and private organisations, and educational institutions on Sunday provided donations to the Prime Minister’s Relief and Welfare Fund to help the poor affected by COVID-19 fallout.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received the donations through videoconferencing from her official residence Ganobhaban in the morning.

Representatives of the organisations handed over cheques of donations to PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Communist Party of China provided 50,000 surgical masks for the fund.

The rest 55 organisations and institutions that provided donations include the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education; Secondary and Higher Education Division; Technical and Madrasah Education Division; Jahangirnagar University; Shahjalal University of Science and Technology; Khulna University; Khulna Agricultural University; Cumilla University; Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa Mujib Science & Technology University (Jamalpur); Sheikh Hasina University, Netrakona; Pabna University of Science & Technology; Islamic University, Kushtia; Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology; North South University; Noakhali Science and Technology University; Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University; and Willes Little Flower School and College.

The organisations also include the Ministry of Commerce; the Ministry of Agriculture; the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs; the Ministry of Industries; Security Services Division; Posts and Telecommunication Division, Information and Communication Technology Division, Nagad (State-owned financial service); Bangladesh Election Commission Secretariat; Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Ministry of Defence Constabulary (MODC); Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF); Bangladesh Security and Exchange Commission; Dhaka Stock Exchange; Chattogram Stock Exchange; Jiban Bima Corporation; Sadharan Bima Corporation; Investment Cooperation of Bangladesh; and Bangladesh Insurance Association.

The organisations also include Bangladesh Bar Council; Bangladesh Judicial Service Association; BCS Customs Association; Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS); BCS Agriculture Association; Bangladesh Election Commission Officers’ Association; Poultry Association; Bangabandhu Diploma Engineers’ Parishad; Roads and Highways Diploma Engineers’ Association; Bangabandhu PWD Diploma Engineers’ Association; Bangladesh Tea Association; Bangladesh Engineers’ Club Limited; BUET Teachers’ Association; Bangladesh Registration Services Association; Thermax Group; Max Group; Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank; Bangladesh Krishi Bank; and Purbachal Club Limited.

Besides, an individual, Mostasim Billah Siam, donated money to the PM’s Relief and Welfare Fund.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the businesspeople, who took loans for operating their business entities, do not to be worried about their loan interest.

"You were doing your business taking loans, but your loans have piled up for the shutdown in these months due to the coronavirus…so, don’t think about that (loan interest)," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while holding a videoconference with the public representatives and officials of districts under Rajshahi division over COVID-19 from her official residence Ganobhaban.

The districts are Bogura, Chapainawabganj, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Natore, Pabna, Rajshahi and Sirajganj.

Sheikh Hasina mentioned that the lending organisations were not supposed to take those interests right now.

"After this meeting (videoconference), I’ll sit with the Finance Minister…we’ll consider to suspend the interest (against the loans), we’ll consider how much we can waive the interest and how much you can repay those regularly. You do not need to be gripped by anxiety," she said.

Also Read - Coronavirus to create food shortage, global famine: PM

Keeping people alive maintaining the ways of lives and livelihood is the major thing right now, Hasina said.

The Prime Minister said the government is gradually relaxing the less affected areas where the coronavirus is yet to spread largely. "We’re giving our attention to that areas so that people could lead a normal life and carry out their trade and business," she added.

Sheikh Hasina also said educational institutions in the country will remain closed till September next.

"We won’t reopen schools and other educational institutions now, at least till September. These schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed as coronavirus prevalence continues…," she said.

If the coronavirus effect continues, she said, the educational institutions will remain closed. "We’ll reopen those when it (coronavirus) will stop," she said.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and some private TV channels and radio stations broadcast the videoconference live.

Earlier, the Prime Minister exchanged views with the public representatives and officials of 51 districts of Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Sylhet, Barishal and Mymensingh divisions in five phases.

 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said educational institutions in the country will remain closed till September next if there is no improvement in the prevailing situation triggered by COVID-19.

"We won’t reopen schools and other educational institutions now, at least till September. These schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed as coronavirus prevalence continues…," she said.

If the coronavirus effect continues, she said, the educational institutions will remain closed. "We’ll reopen those when it (coronavirus) will stop," she said.

 The Prime Minister said this while holding a videoconference with the public representatives and officials of districts under Rajshahi division over COVID-19 from her official residence Ganobhaban.

 The districts are Bogura, Chapainawabganj, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Natore, Pabna, Rajshahi and Sirajganj.

 Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and some private TV channels and radio stations broadcast the videoconference live.

Earlier, the Prime Minister exchanged views with the public representatives and officials of 51 districts of Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Sylhet, Barishal and Mymensingh divisions in five phases.

Sheikh Hasina requested the businesspeople, who took loans for operating their business entities, not to be worried about the loan interests.

"You were doing your business taking loans, but your loans have piled up for the shutdown in these months due to the coronavirus…so don’t think about that (loan interest)," she said.

The Prime Minister mentioned that the lending organisations were not supposed to take those interests right now.

"After this meeting (videoconference), I’ll sit with the Finance Minister…we’ll consider to suspend the interests (against the loans), we’ll consider how much we can waive the interests and how much you can repay those regularly. You do not need to be gripped by anxiety," she said.

Keeping people alive maintaining the ways of lives and livelihood is the major thing right now, Hasina said.

The Prime Minister said the government is gradually relaxing the less affected areas where the coronavirus is yet to spread largely. "We’re giving our attention to that areas so that people could lead a normal life and carry out their trade and business," she added.

PPEs

In this abnormal situation, the safety of people is the prime task of the government.

She laid emphasis on protection of the doctors, nurses and health workers serving the coronavirus-infected patients.

"For that we’ve collected 15,16,190 pieces of PPE. Of them, 12,42,800 pieces have been distributed while 274,100 are there in stock. We’re collecting PPEs and distributing those," she said.

Stimulus Packages

Sheikh Hasina said the government has announced stimulus packages of Tk one lakh crore for all the businesses, including small and medium ones, to overcome the impacts of the COVID-19.  "The small businesses being affected in this situation can take loans with only two percent interest rate…we’ll look after them so that they could continue their businesses."

She reiterated that there will be an economic recession worldwide due to this COVID-19 and international organisations are apprehending a famine.

Boosting farm output 

"Our land is fertile; we’ve to put emphasis so that there’s no food scarcity for us… we’ve to make sure not a single piece of land remains unutilised so that we can save our country from famine after corona pandemic," Hasina said.

She also stressed the importance of maintaining production as only agriculture can save people since food is the most important thing.

Hasina also said the government has announced a new stimulus package of Tk 5,000 crore to provide financial assistance to small and medium farmers in rural areas for boosting agricultural production facing the fallout of Covid-19.

She said if everybody works unitedly then there will be no food crisis in the country. "This is why we’ve deiced to procure 21 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrains."

The government has allocated 95,000 metric tonnes of rice and around Tk 40 crore cash for distribution in 64 districts where the government has given responsibility to 64 secretaries to coordinate the relief distribution, the PM said.

She directed the local administrations and ruling party leaders and activists to prepare a separate list of distressed people who are not included in any government provided social safety net programmes, to provide assistance. "We’ll provide separate card in this regard."

Fr the holy month of Ramadan and upcoming Eid, the PM said, the government will distribute food so that no one remains in any painful condition.

Goods Transportation

Talking about goods transportation, Hasina said there is no restriction for this and she has directed the law enforcement agencies to cooperate in this regard.

Hasina also said the government is thinking about creating more scopes for transporting goods easily. "We might open waterways gradually for the transportation of goods. This way the prices of goods will remain under control."

Poor man sets example

Talking about a noble gesture of a ‘beggar’, Nazim Uddin of Jhinaigati village in Sherpur district, who donated his savings of Tk 10,000 for the affected people, the Prime Minister said he has created a noble example for the whole world.

"We don’t see such a humane gesture among many rich people, they always express dissatisfaction," she said.

The Prime Minister said when any type of calamity strikes it has to be faced. "And this calamity (COVID-19) is a worldwide one…. all will’ve to work as one unit to find a way to get rid of this."

She also mentioned that darkness does not prevails forever and there will be light for sure.

"We again will start out journey towards the path of light."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will join a virtual conference on ‘Enhancing regional cooperation in South Asia to combat Covid-19 related impact on its Economics’ on Thursday evening.

The Prime Minister will deliver the opening remarks on ‘Bangladesh-Building Regional Resilience to fight Covid-19’ at the conference, said PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim.

The conference will start with the welcome remarks by Borge Brende, the President of World Economic Forum(WEF), at 7pm.

Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for South-East Asia of the World Health Organization (WHO), will make a special briefing on the COVID-19 situation.

Arnaud Bernaert, Head of Shaping the Future of Health and Healthcare of the World Economic Forum, will provide important insights over the coronavirus situation from the Forum's Healthcare Community.

Then the moderator will open the floor and call upon relevant contributors to share their views. The participants are members of the Regional Action Group for the South Asia.

The conference will be wrapped up with the presentation of summary and next steps from the World Economic Forum.

Sixteen Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to help the distressed migrants and their families left behind in Bangladesh during this coronavirus pandemic.
 
They sent an open letter signed by Prof Dr Tasneem Siddiqui of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) to the Prime Minister on Monday to this end.

CSOs called for creating a fund for the distressed migrants and their family members as well as increasing incentives to stop the downward trend in remittance flow.
 
They also urged the Prime Minister to gear up the administration and make it accountable to reduce the scope of trafficking in post-coronavirus situation.
 
The organisations called for bringing a change in the education policy to tap the future labour markets and sought initiative to create a positive mindset about the migrants.
 
In the open letter, the CSO leaders mentioned that migrants send remittance worth US$ 18 billion every year.
 
Apart from RMMRU, the other the CSOs are WARBE DF, BOMSA, IMA Research Foundation, MJF, ASK, BASUG, INAFI, BCWWF, YPSA, BOAF, Bastob, Rights Jessore, Devcom, Film 4 Peace and Change Makers.