PM directs to start vaccination at ward, union levels: Health minister

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said the prime minister has instructed to start vaccination activities at ward and union levels.

She has also ordered vigorous measures to bring the elderly population under the inoculation programme, said the minister. 

The government has already made an arrangement to bring 21 crore doses Covid-19 vaccine.

Among these, three crore doses are Oxford-AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccine each, one crore Sputnik-V, seven crore Johnson & Johnson and 6.80 crore doses of vaccine via Covax facility.

Almost 80% or 140 million people of the country will be inoculated with these vaccines, the minister said on Monday after attending the cabinet meeting.

Maleque said from now on, around 200 tonnes of oxygen will be made available for Covid-19 treatment per week. Moreover, the government will recruit 4,000 doctors and nurses soon without police verification and viva voce.

Expressing concern over the careless behaviour of citizens during the ongoing lockdown, the minister has asked the law enforcement agencies to be stricter in enforcing lockdown restrictions. 

Measures if any industry-factory opens during lockdown: State Minister

 State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain has warned to take legal action if any industry, factory is opened during the lockdown that was imposed to stem Covid-19 pandemic.

He made the remark while talking to reporters after a cabinet meeting at the secretariat on Monday.

Earlier, factories were kept open during previous lockdowns imposed to control coronavirus infection. In the second wave of the pandemic, the government has ordered the closure of all types of factories during the lockdown that started on 23 July due to sharp rise of the number of infections and deaths.

 There are reports that some factories are being kept open.

Asked whether any action would be taken against them, the state minister for public administration said, "If anyone opens a factory, action will be taken as per law. We have given instructions to the field administration. "

With the spread of the Covid-19, there is no alternative to stricter restrictions, h added.

Disappointing the owners of the garment industry, the main source of export earnings in the country, Farhad Hossain said the government has not yet given any thought to opening the garment factories during lockdown.

"We have strictly issued the notification. This break is very necessary to reduce infection," he said.

The traffic is increasing although the restrictions are supposed to be strictly observed.

Regarding the matter, the state minister said, "Garment factories and export-oriented industries are closed and lakhs of workers are not coming out of home. However, many people have to come out for various reasons. "

"People involved in hospitals and emergency services are coming out. Those who are in the hospital have to come out of home. People came out of home saying, they have to go to office. We are verifying the names of the organisations they have mentioned. "

Stating that government assistance to the victims of the pandemic and lockdown is continuing, the state minister said 1.8 million people have been given Tk2,500 cash assistance.

"There is no need to go out when there is a shortage of food. The 333 hotline is operational, and if it fails for any reason, anyone can call the locally given number to get food assistance," he said.