Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Sunday said the country’s health system has collapsed due to the ‘wrong’ policy of the government as it is suffering from 'dependency syndrome'. “The Covid death rate has increased in the country because of the government’s wrong policy. The government has been walking on a wrong path for which the health system has completely collapsed,” he said. Speaking at a press conference at Gonoshasthaya Kendra, Zafrullah said, “We don’t want to increase the capacity of the country. We would like to import various things, including oxygen, and widen the dependence on India. It’s called dependency syndrome.” Read: Dr Zafrullah finds lockdown allocation too small, slams govt He said the government should take steps to set up oxygen plants in 64 districts to save people’s lives. “The cost of the most advanced technology capable of producing 50 tonnes of oxygen per month is only Tk 6 crore. There’re many business institutions that can do this. If we could have 64 oxygen production centers in 64 districts, no one of us would die from lack of oxygen.” Zafrullah alleged that the government is not providing people with true information about the vaccines. “It’s not saying how many vaccine doses are in its hands and how much money was spent on buying the vaccines. We know the Russian government wants to provide each dose of the vaccine for eight dollars. The government should tell people the truth about vaccines.” Read: Govt trying to suppress new generation: Dr Zafrullah He said the government itself is not abiding by the lookdown which was enforced to control the Covid infection. “But the poor people are being repressed to comply with the lockdown.” Zafrullah, a freedom fighter, said the government considers people as its subjects and it does not feel it necessary to be accountable to them. “There’s now no politics in the country while the businessmen and bureaucrats are ruling the country with guns on the shoulders of the Prime Minister.”

A group of noted citizens, including Dr Kamal Hossain, on Saturday demanded the release of over 50 students, belonging to Chhatra Odhikar Parishad arrested around two months backs, on bail before Eid-ul-Fitr. They made the demand at a press conference at the conference room of the Gonoshasthaya Kendra in the city’s Dhanmondi area. On May 5, 18 eminent citizens sent a letter to Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain requesting him to take steps to remove the barriers to the release of the arrested students on bail. The students were arrested during their protests against the Digital Security Act and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Bangladesh. Joining the press conference virtually, Gonoforum President and veteran jurist Dr Kamal Hossain said the arrested students should be granted bail. “Bail is a matter of rights, not a matter of mercy.” He said students always work to mobilise public opinion and wage movements on different important and time-befitting issues. “We’ve always encouraged this practice. So, the students should be granted bail.” Mentioning that the judiciary has a long tradition of granting bail to student leaders, he said even the lower court played a courageous role in giving bail to students in the past.  “We can recall that leaders had been taken to jail for their various remarks during the tough movements in the past. But they were given bail by the court immediately after filing petitions.” He said people had been kept in jail by implicating them in Agartala conspiracy case. “We then showed the power of court by securing bail for them. “The lower court used to grant bail whoever was caught in the past.” Speaking at the press conference, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury said getting bail is people’s human and legal right. “Now our main problem is that judges are no longer driver by  conscience. They’re heavily controlled by the government and the police.  He said it has been over a month since the cases were filed against the students, but they are not being granted bail. “Five similar cases were filed and it’s necessary to get bail in all the cases which is a long trial process. A specific directive should be given by the Chief Justice in this regard.” Stating that eid will be celebrated within a few days, he urged the Chief Justice to ensure bail for the students before the festival exercising the judiciary’s constitutional power. “It must be remembered that these students have been created today's Bangladesh. The Bengali language was established as the students waged the language movement.” Earlier, Dhaka University teacher Prof Asif Nazrul read out the letter sent to the Chief Justice by the 18 eminent on citizens on May 5 in this regard. Freedom fighter Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu, chief coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon Zonayed Saki, writer and anthropologist Rehnuma Ahmed, noted photographer Shahidul Alam, and former vice president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) Nurul Haque Nur, among others, spoke at the programme. Eighteen noted citizens who sent the letter to the Chief Justice include Dr Kamal Hossain, Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury, Dr Zafrullah, Barrister Mainul Hosein, Hafizuddin Khan, ASM Abur Rob, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Badiul Alam Majumder, Prof Dilara Chowdhury, Rehnuma Ahmed, Dr Reza Kibria, Asif Nazrul and Zonayed Saki.

A demand of Tk 50 lakh in compensation for the families of each worker killed in police firing at S Alam Group's coal-based power plant in Banshkhali has been raised by Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, trustee of Gonoshasthaya Kendra. Dr Zafarullah placed the demand in front of media while visiting the families of the killed workers on Sunday. Along with the compensation, Dr Zafarullah demanded employment for the family members of the victims. Also read: 2500 sued over Banshkhali incident He also demanded judicial investigation of the police firing incident at the under-construction power plant, owned by S Alam Group and a Chinese company in a joint venture. On April 17, five workers lost their lives and more 30 sustained injuries as police open fired on protesting workers. They were agitating for payment of dues as well as breaks for prayer/iftar during Ramadan. Later on April 21, another worker injured in the incident breathed his last in hospital. Also read: Banshkhali incident: SKOP demands judicial investigation Police and District administration have formed two probe bodies on this matter. Until now two cases have been filed in this connection, blaming the workers for the incident. Victims' families have not sought legal recourse

A case has been filed against Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury and four others on charge of negligence in providing treatment to a pregnant woman who recently died at the hospital.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Saturday said madrasah education should be open to the people of all faiths to reduce islamophobia.

The Plasma and Blood Donation Centre set up by Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in memory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be opened on August 15.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Sunday demanded the formation of an impartial commission to look into the murder incident of retired army major Sinha Md Rashed on Marine Drive Road in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) is going to set up a 15-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at its hospital in the capital’s Dhanmondi area to treat coronavirus-infected patients at the initiative of its founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) on Thursday night said the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) did not approve its GR Covid-19 antibody testing kit.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that the government is giving priority to ‘mega projects’ instead of the health sector amid the coronavirus pandemic.