A health worker uses a nasal swab to collect a sample, for Covid-19 testing, from a woman at the Suchona Community Centre, one of seven designated sample collection locations set up by DNCC, at Mohammadpur, Dhaka on Saturday, May 23, 2020 Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune

A sate minister and two senior leaders of the ruling party die
 
As Bangladesh faces a sharp increase in coronavirus cases, several parliamentarians, senior government officials and their family members have been infected with the virus in recent days.

State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Md Abdullah became the first cabinet member to die from the disease.

The 75-year-old, a 1971 freedom fighter, died on the way to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) late on Saturday. Later, the doctors at the hospital collected samples for a test, which came back positive on Sunday.

Minister Mozammel, wife, admitted to CMH

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and his wife, Laila Arjumand Banu, have also tested positive for Covid-19.

They were admitted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka on Saturday night.

The minister’s private secretary Habibur Rahman also tested positive for Covid-19.

Sufi Abdullahil Maruf, senior public relations officer (PRO) of Ministry of Liberation War Affairs confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune.

Abdullahil Maruf said: “The minister and his wife have been admitted to CMH for better treatment. He tested positive for Covid-19 on June 12 and was receiving treatment at home since then.”

“Their health condition is stable now,” he added.

The PRO also said: “The minister’s private secretary Habibur Rahman has also tested positive for Covid-19 and is receiving treatment at home.”

Liberation Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel is counted as the most senior minister after the prime minister in the government’s current cabinet.

Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing was also admitted to CMH on June 7, after he tested positive for Covid-19 at Cox’s Bazar Medical College and Hospital.

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Several parliamentarian infected

Moslem Uddin Ahmed, MP of Chittagong-8 constituency, and nine of his family members have been diagnosed with coronavirus.

District Civil Surgeon Dr Fazle Rabbi said a medical team from Boalkhali upazila Health Complex took samples from the MP and 14 of his family members on June 9 and ten of them tested positive for coronavirus.

His wife, son, and grandchildren were among the infected from his family.

Awami League MP from Jessore-4 constituency, Ranajit Kumar Roy, was also diagnosed with coronavirus on June 8, and was admitted to CMH in Jessore.

Earlier, two parliamentarians from Naogaon and Jamalpur districts were also found Covid-19 positive.

Health education secretary, wife infected

Md. Ali Noor, secretary to the Health Education and Family Welfare Division of the health ministry, and his wife were also found to be Covid-19 positive.

The couple received their test results five days ago. They are currently residing at their home under self-isolation, confirmed Public Relations Officer (PRO) Maidul Islam of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Earlier on Saturday, Kamrun Nahar, the wife of Health Services Division Secretary Md Abdul Mannan, died due to Covid-19 infection.

Death of two senior Awami League leaders

On Saturday, senior Awami League leader and former health minister Mohammed Nasim passed away at a Dhaka hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for Covid-19. He was hospitalised on June 1 after having tested positive for the coronavirus. He also suffered a stroke after being admitted.

On May 24, former Dhaka lawmaker and Awami League leader Mockbul Hossain died from the deadly virus. He was undergoing treatment at CMH.