AL always stays beside people in times of crisis: Speakers at webinar

Speakers in a webinar said that AL leaders and activists have been working relentlessly to help people and mitigate their sufferings during the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.

They were participating in the ninth episode of the ruling Awami League’s ongoing webinar titled ‘Beyond the Pandemic’ held on Saturday.

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Barrister Shah Ali Farhad moderated the 9th episode titled ‘Role of Grassroots Awami League in Fighting COVID-19 Crisis’, said a release.

Bangladesh Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretary Advocate Afzal Hossain, General Secretary of Chattogram Metropolitan Awami League and City Mayor AZM Nasir Uddin, Member of Parliament (MP) of Bhola-4 Abdullah Al Islam Jacob, MP of Cox’s Bazar-2 Asheq Ullah Rafiq, MP of Khulna-6 Akhteruzzaman Babu and Bangladesh Krishak League General Secretary Umme Kulsum Srity, MP, took part in the webinar as discussants.

Bangladesh Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim said after the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), the AL has formed a relief committee consisting of central leaders and grassroots leaders and activists and actively participated in relief distribution amid the ongoing pandemic.

The leaders and workers of AL always stand by the helpless people in the country, he said, adding that Awami League leaders and activists are still conducting relief activities ignoring the fear of death.

AL Organizing Secretary Advocate Afzal Hossain said AL grassroots leaders and activists across the country have so far delivered food aid to approximately 1.20 crore people as the politics of Awami League is to stand by the helpless people.

General Secretary of Chattogram Metropolitan Awami League and City Mayor AZM Nasir Uddin said the authorities here have taken all necessary steps to deal with the coronavirus outbreak because Chattogram has been marked as risky and a hotspot after Dhaka.

Member of Parliament (MP) of Bhola-4 constituency, Abdullah Al Islam Jacob said ” In this time of corona crisis, we have carried out relief activities in my constituency with the help of the government as well as party leaders and workers for the jobless people.”

He said AL leaders and workers provided food and financial assistance on behalf of the Prime Minister to thousands of people of various professions, including jobless people in his constituency.

” We, the coastal people, have to survive here fighting with disasters,” he added.

AL workers stood by the people during the cyclone Amphan, providing all kinds of assistance in different shelters, he said, adding that during the Eid festival, they delivered food and Eid gifts to people.

MP of Cox’s Bazar-2 constituency, Asheq Ullah Rafiq, said Cement Concrete (CC) block work was done in the coastal areas when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came to power.

“We have already taken initiatives to build the embankments which were damaged in the cyclone Amphaan. We have worked shoulder to shoulder to deal with COVID-19,” he added.

During the Rohingya crisis, Sheikh Hasina came to Cox’s Bazar to visit Rohingyas, he said, adding that 52 people have been affected with coronavirus here so far, and the government has set up a field hospital.

Bangladesh Krishak League General Secretary Umme Kulsum Srity, MP, said “We will always remain beside the farmers. Since 1984, the Bangladesh Krishak League and other affiliated organizations have been conducting tree plantation programmes in the country.”

Bangladesh Krishak League will plant one crore trees in the Mujib Year across the country, she added.

Source: BSS