GM Quader
Govt losing trust with ministers’ ‘funny’ remarks: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Wednesday said people are getting confused and losing their trust in the government due to ‘funny’ remarks by ministers.
In a statement, he also said ministers are making ‘contradictory’ remarks for lack of coordination.
The Jatiya Party chief said Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haqu’s remarks on taking punitive action against those unvaccinated people aged 18 or above who go outside from August 11 is not only unreasonable, unrealistic and unacceptable, but also completely ridiculous.
GM Quader said the number of people in the country who have so far been vaccinated with two doses of the vaccines is less than one crore.
READ: Mass vaccination only solution to Covid crisis: GM Quader
According to a report of the Covid Taskforce, Bangladesh is one of the countries lagging behind in vaccination drive. “Bangladesh also lags far behind in Southeast Asia in this regard.”
The Jatiya Party chief said when the entire world is making life normal through vaccination, it seems the government is taking imprudent decisions to avoid its failure to ensure vaccine jabs for people.
He said the minimum age limit for the vaccination is still 25 years. “In that case, how can the garment workers between the ages of 18 and 24 go to factories? How’ll transport workers of this age go out to work? Or how’ll the shopkeepers of this age open their shops?”
Quader also said the health ministry issued a statement on Tuesday disagreeing with Liberation War Affairs Minister’s comment on not allowing unvaccinated people on the streets.
“Such incidents are happening repeatedly due to the unplanned and short-sighted decisions and for lack of coordination.” People get confused with such statements of the ministers. At the same time, ordinary people are losing trust in the government,” he said.
On Tuesday, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque said it has been made mandatory to take Covid jabs for public movement from August 11. “Any movement by people aged 18 or above without being vaccinated would be considered a punishable offence.”
However, the minister withdrew his statement by issuing a media release on Wednesday.
READ: Ensure food for poor: GM Quader
“All citizens above the age of 18 will be vaccinated in phases. But Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque is withdrawing the part of his statement that anyone above 18 years will not be allowed to go outside after August 11,” the release said.
Mass vaccination only solution to Covid crisis: GM Quader
Urging the government to gear up the mass vaccination drive to return to normalcy, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Friday said lockdown is not a solution to the current Covid crisis in Bangladesh.
“Lockdown and curfew are not a solution to the current (Covid) situation in our country. The mass vaccination drive needs to be strengthened further …. the public life will be normal only with that,” he said in a statement.
The Jatiya Party chief called upon the government to set up field hospitals with the required number of doctors and health workers in the virus-hit areas to ensure proper treatment of people. “It’ll help protect people’s lives and ease their sufferings.”
Also read: GM Quader demands probe into vaccine, Covid test costs
He said a lockdown is in force now in the country, but it is not possible to keep people at home. "Lockdown won’t be successful in Bangladesh given our reality.”
Quoting the findings of different studies, Quader said around 2.5 crore people of the country have come down below the poverty line afresh in the one year of corona pandemic alongside previous 3.5 poor people.
“Most of the poor people don’t have food at home and money in their pockets to buy medicines and baby food. So, it’s not possible to keep such people at home by enforcing a lockdown,” he observed.
Also read: Much of health sector allocation being looted: GM Quader
The Jatiya Party chairman said the assistance being provided by the government is too inadequate while a large part of it is not reaching the real poor. “So, in the current situation of our country, any lockdown and curfew can’t give any solution to the crisis.”
Amid the lockdown, he said, around 15,000 people are being infected daily with the coronavirus and over 200 deaths are being reported.
GM Quader said the infections and mortality are on the rise and there is no visible sign of decline in the virus infection. “So, the Covid situation is not improving with the lockdown, but it has increased the misery of the working people several times. Every day, the number of poor people is rising.”
Ensure food for poor: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday urged the government to ensure food security of the poor and jobless people during this lockdown by neutrally making a list of them.
“The families of the unemployed people are going through serious ordeal amid corona,” he said in a statement.
Referring to a recent study of PPRC and Brac, the Jatiya Party chief said the living standards of about 15 percent of the country's people or about 2.45 crore have fallen below the poverty line anew during the one year of the Covid pandemic.
Also read: GM Quader demands probe into vaccine, Covid test costs
He said there are now nearly 3.5 crore poor people in the country with the new ones.
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said the number of poor people in the country will increase further due to the lockdown enforced by the government to tackle the second wave of the coronavirus.
He said many people have lost their sources of income due to the lockdown. “There’s no food at the homes of those who live from hand to mouth.”
Quader said many families of unemployed poor are facing a disastrous situation for lack of food, life-saving drugs and baby food during the lockdown.
Also read: Much of health sector allocation being looted: GM Quader
“Under such a situation, we demand the government make a proper list of the poor and strengthen the social security programme to ease their sufferings,” he added.
GM Quader demands probe into vaccine, Covid test costs
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday demanded an investigation into the allegation of ‘unusual expenditures’ in coronavirus vaccine procurement, inoculation, and the Covid testing processes.
“An allegation of huge irregularities in the purchase of corona vaccines, their administration and the cost of corona tests has been raised. The experts are saying the health ministry's expenditures are unusual,” he said.
Read: Much of health sector allocation being looted: GM Quader
In a statement, the Jatiya Party chief said, “So, it’s urgent to find out whether there’s any corruption in buying and administrating the vaccines and spending money for conducting corona tests.”
Referring to media reports, he said a single dose of vaccine was procured at Tk 500 while Tk 2,500 is being spent on its administration. “In total, Tk 3,000 is being spent on the application of each dose of the vaccines, which the experts are saying is unacceptable.”
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said a study conducted by the health ministry in May last found that the government was spending on average Tk 1.28 lakh on treatment for each of the corona patients.
Read: Lack of vaccines making Covid situation worse: GM Quader
“But the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in an advertisement, published in different media on July 9, said the government has spent Tk 2 lakh per patient. With such information, experts smell corruption (in the treatment process),” he observed.
The Jatiya Party chief said the health ministry is not talking about the inconsistencies in the expenditures of the patients’ treatment.
Quader also said the DGHS in a press release on July 9 said a total of 656,871 people underwent Covid tests as of July 8 and the government has spent Tk 1,952 crore in this regard.
On the other hand, GM Quader said the DGHS in its regular press statement said 50,49,203 corona tests have been conducted till July 9 under the government management.
“So, there’s a clear inconsistency of around 15 lakh tests. But the health ministry is not responding to media reports and experts' opinions on the matter. Therefore, we demand the government look into the matter and find out whether there’s any corruption in the purchase and application of corona vaccines and in the expenses of corona tests.”
Much of health sector allocation being looted: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Wednesday alleged that the country’s medical system is not improving as expected since a big part of the budgetary allocation made for the health sector is being plundered.
“The Covid situation is getting worse day by day. The lack of medicines and necessary manpower, including doctors and nurses, has become acute in hospitals. Many district- and upazila-level hospitals don’t have (central) oxygen systems, contributing to the gradual rise in fatality rate,” he said.
The Jatiya Party chief said, “The country is facing such a terrible corona situation due to the government’s negligence. When many countries in the world spend 5 to 6 percent of their GDP on medical care, we spend only one percent. But a huge portion of the allocation in the health sector is being looted. So, our medical system is not improving.”
He made the remarks while inaugurating a food distribution programme at Jatiya Party’s Kakrail office on the eve of party founder HM Ershad’s second death anniversary.
Jatiya Party Dhaka south city unit arranged the programme to distribute food among 10,000 needy people.
READ: Lack of vaccines making Covid situation worse: GM Quader
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said their party has long been talking about improving the health care system in the country. “We need to improve our medical system instead of enforcing a lockdown to tackle the Covid situation.”
He said the government must provide each of the genuine poor families with at least Tk 10,000 per month during the Covid period without considering their political identities. “Had this been, then the needy people wouldn’t have had to come out of homes and thus the lockdown would have been effective.”
The Jatiya Party chairman said the government can give good support to the unemployed people by spending only one percent of the GDP. “We had repeatedly urged the government to ensure food and necessary medicines for the poor before enforcing the lockdown.”
He demanded the government introduce a palli (rural) rationing system for the extremely poor people.
Quader said the government is just making assurances that the necessary vaccines will be collected. “But they can't say when it’ll come, how it’ll come, or from where it’ll come. That’s why there's a frustration among people about corona vaccines.”
He said when the entire world is tackling corona with vaccines, Bangladesh is trying to contain it with a lockdown. “It can never be a logical move.”
The Jatiya Party chief alleged that people are not getting proper treatment at public hospitals. “Corona patients from districts and upazilas are crowding divisional cities and the capital. As beds are not available at public hospitals, patients are being forced to receive treatment at private hospitals spending huge money. Those who don’t have money are losing their loved ones, including parents without treatment. We never wanted such a horrible situation in the country.”
READ: GM Quader greets PM ahead of Eid ul Azha
Jatiya Party Senior Co-Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Secretary General Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, and Co-Chairmen Syed Abu Hossain Babla MP and Mujibul Haque Chunnu MP, among others, spoke at the programme.
Free flow of information vital for democracy: GM Quader
Wondering how the Civil Surgeon’s office in Dhaka could issue a directive asking all concerned not to share information of Covid patients with the media, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday said such an instruction is “contrary to democracy and good governance”.
In a statement, he also said the directive that says the media workers will not get information from any hospital in Dhaka district, except from the civil surgeon’s office, during the pandemic is incompatible with the democratic system. “Free flow of information is an essential precondition to the establishment of democracy and good governance.”
Read: Covid situation taking a terrible turn: GM Quader
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, also said. “We’re surprised to see that the directive issued by the Civil Surgeon of Dhaka has not been withdrawn yet though 24 hours have passed by.”
He said the nation depends on the media for getting authentic information during the pandemic while the government, administration, political parties, volunteers and civil society come forward in every difficult time after seeing the media reports.
Besides, the Jatiya Party chief said, there is an apprehension of increasing irregularities and corruption when accurate information are not found in the media.
He feared that rumours and conspiracies will also spread in the absence of free flow of information.
GM Quader said it is important to find out as to why the Dhaka Civil Surgeon wanted to disrupt the normal activities of the media when the Coronavirus infection has been showing an uptrend.
Read: Corruption in health sector widespread: GM Quader
He also said hiding information from the media during such a catastrophic period is not a normal matter. “So, the instruction for not providing information by the Dhaka District Civil Surgeon's office must be withdrawn immediately.”
According to media reports, the office of Dhaka’s Civil Surgeon on Thursday asked doctors working at different hospitals not to comment on or exchange any information about healthcare activities or the disease and patients with the media amid the pandemic.
The Civil Surgeon also urged the media to refrain from taking photos and video footage, or interviewing Covid-19 patients in hospitals.
Hasina greets Raushan, GM Quader ahead of Eid
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday greeted opposition leader in parliament Raushan Ershad and Jatiya Party chairman and deputy leader of the opposition GM Quader on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
GM Quader received his card from PM's protocol officer-2 M Abu Jafar Raju at his Uttara residence, according to a media release issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Read:Sheikh Hasina gifts 2,600kg mangoes to PM Modi, Mamata Banerjee
Raju handed over the card for Raushan to her private secretary AKM Abdur Rahim Bhuiyan at Raushan’s Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office, the release added.
Covid situation taking a terrible turn: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Monday said the demand for ICU beds is growing fast as Covid cases have surged alarmingly, signalling that a more worrying time lies ahead.
“But there’s still no ICU beds in 35 districts. Though the Prime Minister asked to set up ICU beds in all districts a year back, the health ministry has failed to do that,” he said.
Read: Corruption in health sector widespread: GM Quader
In a statement, the Jatiya Party chief said, “The Corona situation is heading towards an appalling point due to the failure of the health ministry. So, effective steps should be taken to install ICUs and ensure adequate oxygen support in all districts as soon as possible.”
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said 76 percent of the country’s total ICU beds are in Dhaka division while 73 percent alone in the capital.
Read:Lockdown can’t be fruitful keeping people hungry: GM Quader
Referring to an IEDCR report, he said 78 percent of Covid patients in June last were infected with Delta or Indian variant, mounting the demand for the ICU beds.
GM Quader bemoaned that the relatives are rushing from one district to another with Covid patients as there are no ICUs at the district level.
Read:Not possible to tackle Covid with gifted vaccines: GM Quader
Stating that almost all of the ICUs at government hospitals in the capital are not empty, he said the CUs of private hospitals are also filling up quickly with critical patients.
"The health directorate yesterday (Sunday) said the oxygen supply will become a challenge, if the number of patients continues to surge. So, there’s be an outcry for ICUs if the situation worsens further, leading to the alarming rise in mortality rate,” the Jatiya Party chief warned.
Lockdown can’t be fruitful keeping people hungry: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday warned that the nationwide lockdown, set to be enforced on Monday, will not be successful without ensuring food security for the crores of hardcore poor people of the country.
“Hungry people can never be forced to stay indoors. Hunger and lockdown can’t go together,” he said in a statement.
Quader, also the deputy leader of the opposition in parliament, said there is no alternative to lockdown if the Covid pandemic spreads alarmingly.
READ: GM Quader fears dire social consequences of drug abuse
“But there’re crores of hardworking people in the country who don’t have food in their stocks at homes as they manage their food based on their daily income,” he observed.
The Jatiya Party chief also said the poor and the day-labourers have to buy medicines along with food and in some cases baby food. “They also have to pay house rent.”
He said the families of crores of day labourers will suffer badly if they can’t work due to the lockdown. "It'll create a humanitarian catastrophe across the country."
He also fears that the law-and-order situation in the country may collapse if people suffer from the scarcity of food and other necessary things.
GM Quader said the government must ensure food security for the extremely poor and working people on humanitarian ground during the lockdown.
Besides, the authorities concerned will have to take tough measures so that the government’s aid for the poor and destitute is not stolen.
On Friday night, the government announced to enforce a fresh nationwide "strict lockdown" from Monday, as the country grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases and fatalities with the highly infectious Delta variant playing havoc.
The restrictions will remain in place for seven days when the government and private offices, barring those of emergency services, will remain shut.
READ: Not possible to tackle Covid with gifted vaccines: GM Quader
The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 pandemic on Thursday recommended imposing a "nationwide shutdown" for two weeks to contain the worsening Covid-19 situation in the country.
GM Quader fears dire social consequences of drug abuse
Voicing deep concerns over the growing abuse of drugs by the young generation, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday urged the government to form a special unit to deal with it.
“The consequences of the growing drug abuse will be as dire as militancy. If the spread is not controlled, the next generation will be destroyed,” he said in a statement.
Read:People lost faith in govt assurance about vaccination: GM Quader
Referring to media reports, the Jatiya Party chief said people know that the young generation has got addicted to deadly drugs like LSD, Ice and Khat.
“Besides, Yaba, Phensedyl, liquor and hemp are now near at hand. Nothing can be more shocking than this for the nation,” he observed.
Read: GM Quader slams govt. for vaccine uncertainty
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said the future generation will become unusable, violent and uncivilised if they cannot be saved from the horrific curse of drugs. “The immense potential of youth will be damaged.”
He also warned that the law-and-order situation will collapse if the spread of narcotic drugs cannot be controlled.
Read: Indian variant of Covid may wreak havoc on Bangladesh: GM Quader
GM Quader said several hundred incidents of extrajudicial killings had taken place in the past three years in the name of anti-drug drives, but there has been no achievement.
Under the circumstances, he said, the government must take effective initiatives right now to eliminate drug abuse and protect the young generation.