As Covid cases continue to surge in Bangladesh, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Friday said there is no alternative to setting up field hospitals to save the lives of the virus-infected people. In a statement, he said it has become urgent to construct field hospitals for Covid treatment in the areas where the virus transmission is very high. “Since the outbreak of corona is not waning, there’s no alternative to building the field hospitals at this moment to save the lives of the country’s people.” Read: Govt losing trust with ministers’ ‘funny’ remarks: GM Quader If necessary, the Jatiya Party chief said, members of Bangladesh Army can be given the responsibility to build field hospitals. He said the Delta variant has spread to remote areas. “Gradually, the entire country has become a hotspot for corona. Already, about 90 percent of beds in Covid dedicated hospitals are now packed and ICU beds are occupied in most hospitals.” Referring to Health Minister Zahid Maleque’s comment that the government is thinking of renting hotels for providing treatment to Covid patients with mild complications, GM Quader said setting up field hospitals is relatively more convenient and less risky for the treatment of the highly contagious coronavirus. Read: Mass vaccination only solution to Covid crisis: GM Quader “China, Thailand and Indonesia have already had successes in corona treatment by building field hospitals to deal with corona,” he observed. The Jatiya Party chairman said the members of Bangladesh Army’s engineering corps build field hospitals hurriedly during various military exercises every year. “They’ve a great experience in building field hospitals. The country will benefit only if the Bangladesh Army is given the responsibility to build field hospitals.” Read:GM Quader demands probe into vaccine, Covid test costs For the past few weeks, Bangladesh has been experiencing the worst coronavirus wave spurred by the highly transmittable Delta variant which was first identified in India. According to a survey by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), 98 percent of the Covid patients recently detected in Bangladesh are of the highly contagious Delta variant.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday alleged that there is no let-up in factory fires and deaths of workers in the country for lack of monitoring and accountability of the authorities concerned. “Even in the 50 years of independence, the lives of the factory workers are not safe in this country. Every year many workers die in factory fires,” he said in a statement. Read: Rupganj factory fire: Claimants found for 40 bodies out of 48, after 56 families submit DNA samples The Jatiya Party chief said many buildings are not constructed in accordance with the building code while the factories are not built maintaining the specific policies. “The factories don’t have the necessary equipment to prevent fires.  There’s no monitoring and minimum accountability of those responsible. So, the workers can’t save their lives when any factory catches fire,” he observed. GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said an investigation committee is formed after each fire incident and the report also contains some recommendations. Read: PM monitoring developments after factory fire in Rupganj: Quader “Sometimes people know about it (report), sometimes it remains a secret. The recommendations are hardly implemented. In most cases, those responsible (for the fire incidents) get out through the loopholes of the law. So, the fire incidents and the processions of death are not stopping,” he alleged. Referring to the data of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the Jatiya Party chairman said 2,317 people were killed and 12,374 others injured in fire incidents across the country in the last 15 years. “A large part of them are working-class people.” He recalled that 117 garment workers at the Tazreen Fashion garment factory at Ashulia were burnt to death and more than 200 others injured in the deadliest fire in the country’s history on November 24, 2012. Read:Rupganj fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, sons among 8 put on remand “The deaths of bread-earners in each fire incident causes a humanitarian catastrophe in their poverty-stricken families,” Quader bemoaned. He said the government must take strong steps right now to reduce fire incidents and save the lives of workers.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday said the people want to know what initiative the government has taken to remove uncertainty created over getting Covid-19 vaccine in time.“Those who have received the first jab are concerned whether they would get the second dose in time,” he said in a statement.The JaPa chairman said frustration is growing among people as the country did not receive vaccine doses as per agreement since February.“Uncertainty has been created among the people over getting vaccine,” he said adding that getting vaccinated is the right of the people.Quader said it is the government's responsibility to vaccinate all eligible communities across the country.  “The people of the country want to know what initiative the government has taken over the vaccine,” he said.The government will have to take effective steps to ensure vaccine for the people within the stipulated time, said Quader, also the deputy leader of the opposition.He said last year JaPa suggested the government maintain contact with alternative sources over vaccines. But no such initiative has been taken. As a result, the country is now facing a tough crisis.The JaPa chairman expected that the government would make all-out efforts to collect the necessary vaccine on an urgent basis.