THE government has curtailed the programmes of Mujib Borsho celebration due to the global outbreak of COVID-19. On the centennial of the birth of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the government has also urged people not to arrange unnecessary events while the number of virus infected persons has been increasing in the country. We thank the government for imposing an embargo on mass gathering, and vacating educational institutions realising the severity of the epidemic. Earlier, the grand inaugural ceremony of Bangabandhu’s birth centenary celebrations was scheduled to be held at the National Parade Ground.
Bangabandhu once said: “My greatest strength is the love for my people; my greatest weakness is that I love them too much.” On his birth century the government must show respect to him taking precautionary measures against the coronavirus without any delay in a bid to save the people, particularly the marginal and low-income population in the densely populated urban and rural areas.
We do suggest the government to reallocate the entire budget of celebrating the Mujib Borsho for preventing coronavirus. The government must declare a national health emergency and red alert now. We must learn from China on how they have been able to protect the nation from the epidemic. Praising Bangabandhu or discussing his life by some seasonal leaders and opportunists in an air-conditioned convention centre can’t be a prioritized task at this moment. An earthquake causes shock waves. Similarly a global virus attack also would create a long-standing impact on everything, such as food security, trade and commerce. The level of imports and exports has decreased alarmingly across the world.
We must also remain prepared to face the situation after the coronavirus epidemic ends.
