The minister came up with the remarks in a press briefing at the secretariat responding to BNP’s criticism over withdrawing the lockdown aimed to curb the transmission of coronavirus or Covid-19.
Referring to BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the information minister alleged that Fakhrul is saying different things every day.
“Country’s crores of people depend on their daily earning - they (BNP) don’t think of those working class people, so they can suggest shutdown and even curfew,” Mahmud said.
The Prime Minister didn’t extend the general holidays to secure the lives and livelihood of people, he said, adding that “This is a country of working class people where it is not possible to maintain shutdown months after months.”
“But resuming economic activity doesn’t mean that we can live freely as before the covid-19 outbreak. Now we must follow health guidelines and maintain social distance,” the minister said.
Government withdrew the lockdown from Sunday, while health authorities confirmed the detection of record 2,545 new patients in the last 24 hours, raising the total caseload to 47,153. The daily fatalities reported saw an even bigger jump, as 40 more people died from the coronavirus, taking the death tally to 650.
Also read: Coronavirus in Bangladesh: Record 40 deaths, 2,545 new cases reported in a day