He made the call at a web seminar on “COVID-19 and Human Rights: Protecting the most vulnerable” on Tuesday night.
United Nation’s Global Compact organised the seminar where Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Roberto Marques Chairman of Brazilian personal care cosmetics maker Natura and Co, where present as guests.
Highlighting the government’s stance on fight against coronavirus, Anisul said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced Tk 72,750 crore stimulus packages in two phases.
Since the Great Depression, this is the first time both advanced economies and emerging market and developing economies are in recession: growth in AEs is projected at -6.1% and EMDEs -1.0%. For more details, read the #IMFBlog on the #WEO #GreatLockdown https://t.co/5rJQbhTmkm pic.twitter.com/ZgKo0mCmcG
— IMF (@IMFNews) April 18, 2020
In the first phase, Tk 5,000 crore stimulus was announced for salaries of industrial workers and staff. In the second phase, Tk 67,750 crore was given in four new economic stimulus packages, Huq said.
Besides, a special stimulus of Tk 5,000 crore was provided to tackle the loss in the agriculture sector, he added.
“The government is also distributing relief among the vulnerable people,” Huq said, adding that 498 trucks are selling necessary goods at cheap price during Ramadan.
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Many people and private organisations are also fighting against the crisis created by coronavirus pandemic, the minister said.
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Bangladesh’s economic activities came to a grinding halt after the government announced general holidays last month to curb the transmission of coronavirus. The holiday was extended to May 5 as the situation worsened.
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The health authorities have so far confirmed 7,103 cases and 163 deaths. In 24 hours until Wednesday morning, 641 people tested positive for coronavirus.
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Coronavirus, first reported in China, disrupted the global supply chain and forced billions of people to stay indoors and oil prices to turn negative for the first time. It also triggered what has been described as the “worst recession since the Great Depression”.