DHAKA, – Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP leaders still are out to spread anti-state propaganda even during the global crisis of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic instead of playing responsible role.

“It is again proven that BNP believes in politics of conspiracy at home and abroad. Instead of playing responsible role during the global coronavirus pandemic, BNP leaders are hatching anti-state conspiracy,” he said this in a video message on contemporary issues from his official residence on the premises of Parliament.

Quader, also minister for road transport and bridges, said it is the politics of BNP to spread propaganda against the people by beating drums of falsehood.

“BNP is becoming isolated from people and being irrelevant in politics day by day as they are taking stance against the country’s interest while making anti-government acts,” he said.

Referring to recent online media reports, the AL general secretary said a former president of Italy unit of BNP made anti-state statement while giving comments to an Italian media as the BNP leader said 10 lakh people have been affected by Covid-19 in Bangladesh and there is no treatment here.

The BNP leader said 10,000 Bangladeshi expatriates are on the way to Italy with fake Covid-19 test reports, he said adding that such comments tarnish the country’s image in international arena and created annoyance and fury among Bangladeshi expatriates in Italy.

Quader said the media reports mentioned that Italian Lega Nord party leader Matteo Salvini shared the video of BNP leader’s comments on his facebook page.

Mentioning the government’s new decision, the minister said before going abroad, one must have to receive Covid-19 negative certificate from any of government designated 16 institutions.

Due to negligence and hiding of information by a few individuals, Bangladeshi expatriates in two or three countries had to face embarrassing situation and “We don’t want such unexpected situation takes place. I am requesting all intending abroad goers to receive certificate from the institutions after giving their samples for Covid-19 test”, he said.

Quader said apparently it seemed that apprehensions for Covid-19 have lessened among people and sample testing is in reducing trend in terms of numbers but the rate of infections are in rising trend.

According of public health experts, many people are roaming around hiding their symptoms but they are not testing their samples.

The AL general secretary requested the authorities concerned to reconsider the matter of providing Covid-19 testing facilities free of cost for poor people as many of experts thought poor people are refraining themselves from the coronavirus testing due to fees while many people became jobless due to the crisis triggered by coronavirus outbreak.

Quader urged the governing bodies of non-government educational institutions to pay salaries and allowances to teachers, officials and employees during the crisis period.

Apart from government and monthly pay order (MPO) listed institutions, a large number of teachers and employees are working at non-government educational institutes where salaries and allowances are paid by the institutes, he said.

The minister said the teacher and employees are leading their lives in hardships as the institutes remained shut down for long.

Mentioning incentives allocated by the prime minister considering their hardships, Quader urged the authorities concerned of the non-government institutions or which run by individuals’ initiatives to continue paying salaries and allowances to teachers and employees during the crisis even if the institutes have difficulties.