ABSTRACT
Bangladesh is recognised a disaster prone country with high population density. Natural disasters are being intensified in Bangladesh due to global climate change with affecting economic growth and upsetting macro-economic balances. Managing natural disasters, given priority to risk reduction and adaptation, the country has an increasing growing and stable economy with basic healthcare opportunities but however, lack of western standard hospital facilities for all. Bangladesh is now facing un pretended global pandemic COVID-19 from March 2020. This paper presents brief of governance and challenges in combating COVID-19 in Bangladesh in all indicators that pose threat to public health and economy. On the outbreak of COVID-19 in Bangladesh, government has been taken steps like: brought back its citizens from COVID-19 infected countries and quarantined them for 14 days; restricted travel and entry in Bangladesh; suspended on-arrival visa and stopped all international flight; started corona versus testing and confirmed its presence in Bangladesh in 08 March 2020; closed all formal and informal educational institutions from March 17 to 06 August 2020; declared nationwide holiday from 26 march to 30 May 2020 and thus all public and private offices were closed except emergency services; closed public transports, shops, shopping malls, labour ripened works in both formal and informal sectors up to May 2020 except green market, grocery and medicine shops; banned public gathering; asked people to stay home, maintain social distancing and health instructions; emphasised to increase the testing capacity, hospital facilities with more testing kits, ventilator and better oxygen system; earmarked a few hospitals for COVID patient only and expanded other hospitals with COVID unit; imposed sector wise lockdown for a period of 14-21 days. The socio-economic impact of COVID-19 is strongly felt by Bangladesh which caused death of its citizens, shrink the merchandise trade, loss of job of migrant workers that effects the remittance flow and, unemployed huge inland workforce. Under the unprecedented disruption to economy to regain economic activities and minimise sufferings of people government has announced around $11.90 billion, 3.6 per cent of total GDP, stimulus packages for providing capital to the industry, farming, business and trade; payment of wages to RMG workers and; distribution of cash and food grain to the targeted communities etc. The COVID-19 has also broken the classic inter-personal relationships, out of fear in most cases COVID patients are avoided by their near and dear to facilitate care and even in funeral. Experts opine that presence of COVID-19 may prolong in Bangladesh and about 20 million occupational people will lose their source of income. Thus, finding a solution to address the threat of disaster like COVID-19 for socioeconomic risk of recession should have national objective of strategic planning of Bangladesh to ensure that resources used and operations launched to counter pandemic produce best possible results. However, nothing will be enough until people follow the thumb rule of social distancing in combating the situation. So, there should be a comprehensive governance and management program to build the capacity of the country to meet the challenges of COVID-19 situation through saving life and livelihoods; ensuring that existing infrastructure are well maintained and fit-to-purpose; awareness building among the people at large on the consequence of COVID 19; capacity building and strengthening health institutions to enhance treatment facilities and; research and development to ensure the global development thinking on COVID-19.
