Kazi Ashfick Rasel :
Nowadays there is a lot of panic around the world as the novel coronavirus is infected with human body. A death tiding is coming from the China virus every day. The death toll in the coronavirus is almost six thousand. Despite the risk, this virus has never been identified in Bangladesh so far. But reports are coming from abroad; Bangladeshis are being infected in Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Italy and other places.
The coronavirus emanated in Wuhan city in Hubei province, China. No drugs have been proven effective against the virus yet. If the virus spreads uncontrollably, the world has only a few ways to protect itself, and if these methods do not work, then the consequences will be dire. The most frightening thing is that the epidemic of coronavirus can lead the entire world into economic depression. In the panic of the virus people are not going to China. Many countries have stopped aviation. Tourism businesses are being severely suffered in scared of the virus. British Airways and Lufthansa Airlines cancelled all flights to China. Cathay Pacific has stopped carrying pillows, blankets and magazines on their planes in fear of the virus spreading. Bangladeshi airlines, especially those flying to China, have also suffered losses due to a shortage of passengers. In the past, tourism has been plagued by the outbreak of the deadly virus like SARS. Only the tourism industry lost one billion dollars because of the SARS. Experts estimate that this time the Novel Coronavirus will cause more damage to the global tourism industry. Bangladesh is certainly not out of this.
What else will be the damage, we can’t guess that right now. However, as China is the center of trade around the world, the global market is widely dependent on China’s raw materials and ready-made products, China’s contracting companies operate all over the world, as a result, a major trade shock will be found worldwide soon. In the meantime, the price of active pharmaceutical Ingredients (such as paracetamol, nimesulide, azithromycin, etc.), an essential component of antibiotics and painkillers, has increased three-four times.
Very often, if China’s production is not normal, there will be adverse effects in many cases, including in Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry. The fields of mobile and consumer electronics, construction industry, regular commodities, nothing can be excluded. Large quantities of television panels, LED chips, refrigerator-AC and motor compressors of Bangladesh are imported from China. Although it is not clear whether the supply will be closed now or not, It is feared that a crisis may be signalling.
Coronavirus is a very important issue. Not only China, but the whole world is watching it seriously after the epidemic took shape. China has created the task force with the highest importance of the pandemic. It is not clear how much Bangladesh is prepared for this coronavirus spread worldwide.
The Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI), however, has said that there is no major problem at the moment in terms of importing and exporting other products including raw materials of the readymade garments sector. Because at the time of the virus transmission there was New Year’s holiday in China. Every year long before this holiday, Industrial entrepreneurs of Bangladesh import machinery and raw materials needed for their industries from China. This time it was no exception. As a result, under the influence of coronavirus, there is no reason for the lack of supply of any product in the Bangladesh market till now.
But it is also true that China is the world’s second largest economy. China contributes 16 percent of global GDP. Any blow to the Chinese economy will have a major impact on the world economy. We are more worried that the disease should not enter Bangladesh in any way. Already, South Korea and Iran are in serious danger. Many Bangladeshi citizens live in different provinces of China. Apart from those brought in the government initiative, the rest of the Bangladeshi could not come. The virus has spread to 13 provinces of the country and Taiwan.Again, China now has a lot of trade with Bangladesh.
There was a time when hundreds of Chinese citizens have travelled to Bangladesh. How passengers are being tested at airports is a big question. Bangladesh cannot contemplate immune herself in any way. There have been widespread accusations that people from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand or other countries at the airport are not being properly tested. Especially those who are arriving at night, they are coming out the airport without thermal checks many people are reporting on social media. Consternation is not a panacea for this suddenly imported virus. That’s why the government and doctors have to move forward with enough thought. The nitty-gritty is that Shahjalal Airport authorities need more caution in preventing coronavirus infection than they exist.
(Kazi Ashfick Rasel is a student of Rajshahi University)
