Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said keeping away people from getting infected with coronavirus and running wheels of economy simultaneously is a 'war'.
"We have also taken steps so that economic activities could continue running, we have been able to place a budget, this is a kind of war," she said.
The Prime Minister said this while speaking in Parliament taking part in the condolence motion on former minister and ruling Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim.
The House also expressed deep shock at the death of State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
Sheikh Hasina said that deaths of two co-fighters of her, Nasim and Abdullah, is very much painful to her as both of them were always beside her in all movements and struggles.
She said that COVID-19 brought the whole world to a standstill and an unnatural situation.
"The world is now under the grip of panic of death. This is very much strange. We’ve never seen this kind of situation in the past," she said.
In this connection, she said that while she was coming to Parliament today many of her well-wishers requested her not to go there.
But she turned down their requests saying that she had faced bullets, bombs and grenades, and she will not sit idle out of the fear of this virus.
"This fear has clutched the whole world, developed, developing or poor countries, powerful countries in terms of arms and money, there is no difference, all become one by this fear and panic of coronavirus, the situation is the same everywhere," she said.
The Prime Minister said that the spread of this virus and deaths due to this started to climb high in one place, then it stopped at one stage.
"The wave of this virus has entered South Asia after travelling to western countries," she said.
She mentioned that the government is trying its best to convince the people for maintaining health guidelines properly.
"This is a deadly infectious virus, all have to maintain the health guidelines to save themselves," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that this is the reality that people cannot be left out without feeding them for the fear of coronavirus.
"We have to look after their livelihood," she said.
But she said that the panic of this virus is getting higher and higher which is very much regretful.
"We have decided to lockdown the particular places where the infection spread widely so that this spreading could not infect new places," she said.
The Prime Minister with emotion choked voice recalled her memories with Mohammad Nasim and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. She termed their deaths irreplaceable loss for the country and Awami League.
Deputy leader of the Opposition GM Quader, Begum Matia Chowdhury, Kazi Firoze Rashid, Mrinal Kanti Das and Mostafa Lutfullah, M Habibe Millat also took part in the condolence motion.
A one-minute silence was observed and a munajat offered seeking eternal peace of the departed souls. Deputy Speaker M Fazle Rabbi Miah conducted the munajat.
The day’s business of Parliament was adjourned immediately after the adoption the condolence motion as per the rules of business as Mohammad Nasim was a sitting MP.
