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 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

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Thursday alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made “fun of people” by allocating 10.50 crore to provide assistance to the poor and insolvent people who have been hit hard by the lockdown. Speaking at a token sit-in programme at the Central Shaheed Minar, he said the government can allocate one billion dollars from the foreign exchange reserves for providing food aid to the poor. “The situation is getting worse every day. As per different research, the number of poor families in Bangladesh has exceeded 2.15 crore. The Prime Minister has allocated only Tk 10.5 crore for these 2.5 crore families. This means that each family will get Tk 4.25,” Dr Zafrullah said. He said, “What can take the poor with such a small amount of money in this month of Ramadan. Our Prime Minister is making such a joke.” Also read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: PM allocates Tk 10.50cr for affected poor Zafrullah, a freedom fighter, said the government has declared that it has foreign exchange reserve of $43 billion. “So, allocate $1 billion from there to provide food assistance to 2.25 crore poor families.” He also urged the political parties and the rich to come forward to help the poor at this time of the pandemic. He questioned whether the political parties, including BNP and leftist ones, businessmen and one lakh rich families can raise Tk 10 crore in seven days with united efforts countering the Prime Minister’s ‘mockery’.  “I would like to remind those who have become the owners of crores of taka enjoying the benefits of the Liberation War that the nation won’t forgive you, if you don’t extend your helping hand at this time.” Speaking at the programme, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the government is least bothered about the sufferings of people as it has no value. He called upon the Prime Minister to apologise to people for allocating only Tk 10 crore for poor families. Also read: Over 1mn Covid-affected families to get PM’s Eid gift through bKash Manna demanded the government present a framework to ensure sufficient food support to poor families. Economist Dr Reza Kibria urged the government to allocate Tk 35,000 crore to ensure food security for poor families during the coronavirus pandemic. He also called upon the government to ensure the proper use of the grants by various agencies for dealing with the coronavirus.

Hundreds of students, teachers, and Civil society members offered Gayebana janaza for writer Mustaq Ahmed on Friday in front of the National Museum in Shahbagh.

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.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Thursday urged the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to reconsider its restriction on holding rallies and public meetings in the city without prior permission.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Monday urged the government to abolish the Digital Security Act for strengthening democracy and removing the obstacle to investigative journalism.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Friday alleged that the current government has established ‘one-party Baksal’ rule in the country under a different cover by ‘snatching’ people’s democratic rights.

Stating that the government will not be able to quell the current movement against repression on women by making death penalty as the punishment for rape, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Friday said a mid-term election is the only way to get rid of the social diseases.