The prime minister had a meeting with the top brass of Bangladesh’s financial sector on Thursday
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to hold a press conference on Sunday morning, where she is set to make announcements on new incentive packages.
Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim confirmed it in a statement issued on Thursday, following a high-level meeting at Ganabhaban, the prime minister’s official residence.
Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting with the top brass of the country’s finance sector, including Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Ahmed Kaikaus, Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir, Senior Secretary at the Finance Ministry Abdur Rauf, and Prime Minister’s Office Secretary Tofazzel Hossain Miah.
According to sources, the prime minister discussed the current situation and the next course of action to tackle the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic on the economy of Bangladesh.
In Sunday’s press conference, scheduled for 10am, the prime minister will announce the government initiatives to provide more support to the economy.
Earlier on March 25, Prime Minister Hasina announced a Tk5,000-crore stimulus package for the export-oriented industries – mostly to pay the salaries and wages of the workers and employees in the sector.
The country’s economy has taken a blow since the Covid-19 pandemic, caused by a new strain of coronavirus, made its way into Bangladesh.
As of Thursday, 56 people in Bangladesh have tested positive for Covid-19 infection, and six have died. Globally, nearly a million people have been infected by the coronavirus, of whom more than 51,000 died, according to worldometer.
The government announced a general holiday from March 26 till April 4, which was later extended to April 11, to enforce social distancing in order to curb the spread of the virus. Schools, colleges, and businesses – except essential services – have also been shut down on government instructions.
