929 die with Covid-like symptoms in last 2 months

As many as 929 people have died with symptoms similar to those of coronavirus since March 8. 

Dhaka University's Centre for Genocide Studies (CGS) revealed the information on Wednesday. 

Additionally, 63 violent incidents related to Covid-19 also took place across the country in March and April, leaving 8 dead and 254 injured. 

Among the 929 people who died with Covid-like symptoms, 210 were in Dhaka division, 167 in Chattogram, 110 in Khulna, 87 in Rajshahi, 84 in Barishal, 66 in Sylhet and 65 in Rangpur.

The director of the Centre for Genocide Studies, Professor Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, told The Business Standard that they collected the information from 16 newspapers. 

He also suggested not closing all government organisations for coronavirus. 

"The pandemic is not out of control. We can prevent it if we wash our hands regularly, wear masks and maintain social distancing. We have to do it until the pandemic ends," he said.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Professor Nazrul Islam said that many people who died from Covid-like symptoms were coronavirus infected. But the government, unfortunately, has no data of the deaths. The Centre for Genocide Studies can help the government with this. 

"Some of the people dying with negative coronavirus test results were diagnosed positive after their death. That is why questions have been raised about the standard of the test," he added. 

Meanwhile, 56 protests from various activists, ranging from garments to transportation workers, were held across the country between April 26 and May 9. 

The protests were mostly held to demand food assistance and relief. Apparel workers blocked roads for unpaid wages. Some protests challenged the irregularities in relief distribution.

The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives has suspended 49 local public representatives (18 UP chairmen, 29 UP members, one district council member and one municipal councillor) till May 5 for irregularities in distribution of relief among the poor amidst the pandemic. 

As many as 84 individuals have been arrested for spreading rumors and disinformation in social media, mostly between March 15 to 28. 

Five more individuals including a writer and a cartoonist were arrested under the 'Digital Security Act' over the accusation of spreading Covid-19 related rumours on social media platforms from May 3rd to May 9th after a week of no rumour related arrests, the centre said.