Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday urged BNP to stand by people refraining from trying to make political gains in this crisis of Coronavirus.

“BNP leaders are busy criticising the government through holding press conferences instead of standing by people,” he said while speaking at a press briefing at his residence in the city.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that people are not getting treatment at hospitals as the government is failing to handle the current situation. “We’re repeatedly saying we all must come forward to protect the nation considering the current situation from the humanitarian point of view instead of political one.”

He said the government must work out a plan as to how opposition parties and government employees can effectively be utilised to overcome the crisis. 

Fakhrul also suggested the government to form a national committee to contain the coronavirus outbreak and its fallout. “We’re not criticising the government for the sake of opposing its activities. We want to cooperate with the government as we called for working unitedly to tackle the current situation,” he told reporters at his Uttara residence.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, talked about the progress on the work of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, saying 78.50 percent work has already completed.

Meanwhile, AL Subcommittee on Relief and Social Welfare distributed protective equipment among different hospitals and social organisations at the party chief’s Dhanmondi political office.