Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Wednesday directed to ensure health tests for all agricultural workers who came to Naogaon for harvesting paddy.

He came up with the directive at a video conference meeting with Naogaon Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and officials of local agriculture, health and food departments.  

Majumder also donated masks, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and thermal scanners. He directed to form separate teams for 11 upazilas of the district within a day or two to ensure tests for agricultural workers.

The government will procure 800,000 metric tonnes of paddy and 1.15 million metric tonnes of rice from farmers from April 26, he said.

Minister Majumder said prompt steps were taken by the ministry to ensure food security which was threatened by the ongoing holidays aiming to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, 10 more people died from coronavirus in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours till Wednesday morning, taking the death toll in the country to 120.

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Also read: No respite from coronavirus in Bangladesh; 10 new deaths, 390 fresh cases

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Besides, 390 more people tested positive for coronavirus during the period, raising the number of confirmed cases to 3,772.