“Why did the government relax the shutdown when the infection of coronavirus has spread to villages from the cities? They did it as the economy and interests of big businessmen are more important to them than people’s lives,” said party’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the allegation while distributing relief materials among the needy people at Tongi Bazar in Gazipur.

Rizvi said the government is least bothered about the deaths of people and public sufferings and safety.

He said people are dying from coronavirus as they are not getting treatment and the scope to undergo tests due to limited testing capacity. “The government is not paying attention to these problems as money, not people’s lives, is more important to them.”

The BNP leader said even Prime Minister’s personal physician Prof Abdullah also opposed the government’s decision to ease the shutdown. “The national technical advisory committee to check COVID-19 also urged the Prime Minister to review the decision, but she (PM) is not paying heed to it.”

Stating that the corona situation will deteriorate sharply with the resumption of economic activities and people’s free movement, he said the government is trying to push people towards death.

Rizvi said the government can keep the shutdown in force for at least another two  months in the interest of people’s health safety and containing  the deadly virus.

He criticised  the ruling party men for what he said indulging in embezzlement of relief materials meant for the poor, and not standing by the destitute to ease their sufferings at this bad time of the country.