BASAD will provide services to locked down families in Barishal

Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal or (BASAD) has taken responsibility of providing food and medical services to coronavirus infected patients and their families in Barisal city.

The leaders of the organisation made the announcement at a press conference at Fakirbari Road in their party office in the city on Saturday afternoon.

Dr Manisha Chakrabarty, member secretary of BASAD said, "Corona infected patients and their families are being locked down by the administration to keep other people safe. When these families contact the administration for any need, they just refuse them. In such a situation, those families suffer indescribably."

"BASAD decided to provide food and medical services, counseling and carry-out other responsibilities for the families of those who are already infected with coronavirus or will be infected in the future," she added.

To explain why BASAD decided to carry out the duty, Manisha Chakraborty said that "A 65 year old person working in the city was infected with coronavirus. Police locked down his house and forbade the family members from going out. The family contacted the police station when they were in need of food, and the police station refused saying it was not their responsibility."

"Later, when the old man's physical condition deteriorated further, the administration said it was not their responsibility to call an ambulance. Upon receiving the news, health workers of BASAD rescued the old man and took him to hospital. We noticed their suffering and decided to take this initiative," she further said.

Engineer Imran Habib Rumon, convener of BASAD of Barishal district said, "Most of the families in the lockdown are suffering. The leaders of BASAD contacted the district administration to resolve the issue."

The BASAD leaders said, "The crisis was caused by the failure of city corporations, district administrations, law enforcement agencies, hospitals and private representatives to take concerted action to address the Corona situation."

"We hope that our initiative will alleviate the suffering of the families in lockdown," they further said.

Badruddoza Saikat, Shahidul Islam and other leaders of the Socialist Workers Front were present at the press conference.