COVID-19: Minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing flown to Dhaka

The government has brought Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing to Dhaka for treatment at the Combined Military Hospital after he became the first Bangladeshi minister to contract the novel coronavirus.

An air-force helicopter flew him to the capital at 12.40 pm, the Inter-Services Public Relations said on Sunday.

Ushwe Sing, 60, has been suffering from respiratory distress for the last few days, said Bandarban Civil Surgeon Dr Aung Sui Pru Marma. He is also diabetic and tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday.

The Awami League leader was elected a member of parliament for the first time in 1991. He was a member of the committee that held talks for the CHT Peace Accord before it was signed in 1997.

Ushwe Sing has served as the chairman of Rangamati Chattogram Hill Tracts Development Board for two terms.

He has also served the party as an organising secretary of its central committee and whip in parliament. He has represented Bandarban in parliament on six occasions. He went on to become the state minister for CHT affairs in 2014.

After the Awami League formed the government again in 2019, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made him a cabinet minister.