Voicing deep concern over the outbreak of Indian Covid variant in bordering areas, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday warned that the nation will have pay a heavy price for lack of measures to stop it.

“The way Indian (Delta) variant of the Coronavirus has been spreading in frontier districts is extremely alarming,” he said in a statement.

The Jatiya Party chief said though the infection and fatality rates of the deadly virus are increasing day by day, many people are still entering Bangladesh from India every night dodging the border guards. “So, the frontier districts must be put under a stricter lockdown.”

Also read: No support from ministry for local Covid vaccine: GM Quader

GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said the members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) can be deployed in those districts to implement the lockdown. “We’ve to pay a heavy price if any lenient attitude is shown towards the Indian variant.”

He said the government must ensure adequate food support to the bordering districts alongside imposing the lockdown.

“Hungry people can never be kept confined to their homes without ensuring food for them,” the Jatiya Party chairman observed.

Besides, he said, healthcare services need to be improved rapidly at the district level.

GM Quader said all the district hospitals, including the bordering ones, must be equipped with adequate oxygen support, necessary medicines and other equipment to deal with the growing number of Covid patients.

Also read: Take mega projects to improve healthcare system: GM Quader

The highly contagious Indian variant of the coronavirus was detected in Bangladesh for the first time on May 8 and it is spreading in different parts of the country, including Dhaka.

Experts fear that Bangladesh may face the worst outbreak of the deadly virus by the end of June.

Bangladesh closed its border with India for any kind of movement except that of cargo on April 26 which was later extended till June 14 to control the spread of coronavirus as the situation in the neighbouring country has deteriorated.