Staff Reporter :
The health authorities have started collecting samples to test presence of Covid-19 virus in the bodies of Bangladeshi citizens intending to travel abroad.
The process started on Monday in 14 districts across the country, including Dhaka.
In Dhaka, outbound air passengers gave their samples at the temporary coronavirus isolation centre in Mohakhali’s DNCC Market.
They had to show their passports and air tickets before giving samples.
Earlier the Dhaka Civil Surgeon office set up 10 booths to collect samples from air passengers.
The sample collection began at 10 am and continued till 4pm.
Besides, there were many allegations of mismanagement who came to give samples.
Some passengers faced endless sufferings as there was only one booth somewhere.
Highlighting mismanagement, a female passenger from Dhaka said that they had not been informed before that the money for the testing will be deposited through bank or in cash.
“We come to know that the test will be carried by cash deposit while coming here,” she said. “Traveler’s should be informed of it before,” she added.
Many passengers have complained about waiting for a long time and not getting information.
The same picture is in Chittagong. Corona sample is being managed by Chittagong Civil Surgeon’s Office.
A passenger from Chattogram said, “There is extreme mismanagement. I just got the serial standing all day long under the rain. However, the crowds were less in other districts. Passengers have to present their air tickets and passports along with their passports at the time of delivery of the sample and pay the prescribed fee.
Abu Hossain Md Mainul Ahsan, the Civil Surgeon of Dhaka said, “The result will be given within 24 hours. We are doing all kinds of work for this.
The districts where the samples will be collected are Barisal, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Comilla, Narayanganj, Khulna, Kushtia, Mymensingh, Bogra, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangpur and Sylhet. Travellers have to provide samples 72 hours before their flights, while the testing facilities will have to deliver the reports 24 hours before flight departures.
On July 12, the government announced that it would make it mandatory for all Bangladeshis flying abroad to obtain Covid-19 clearance certificates provided by any DGHS-approved facility.
Later, the DGHS recommended the 33 private facilities for the testing, which was turned down by the Civil Aviation Ministry as the recommendation did not include any state-run facilities.
