Over 100 MPs contracted COVID in Bangladesh, four of them died

More than 100 members of parliament have tested positive for COVID-19 so far since the novel coronavirus reached Bangladesh in March 2020.

Four of the legislators died after contracting the virus, with former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru of the Awami League from Cumilla-5 seat being the latest to be claimed by the virus on Wednesday.

Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury from Sylhet-3 passed away in March this year after the second wave of infection hit the country.

Bangladesh lost former health minister Mohammed Nasim, who was elected from Sirajganj-1, in June last year.

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, a technocrat state minister of religious affairs, died from the disease the same day.

Naogan-6 constituency’s Israfil Alam died the next month.

Bangladesh detected the first coronavirus cases on Mar 8 last year. The caseload crossed 600,000 on Apr 1.

It took only 16 more days to cross the grim 700,000 cases mark.

Some of the MPs were infected with the coronavirus after receiving their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Some had no symptoms while some others were infected twice.

Many of the lawmakers were found to have contracted the coronavirus after tests before joining the recent parliament session.

According to parliament’s medical centre and reports published by media, as many as 111 MPs have so far tested positive, including 34 in the ongoing second wave of infection.

“Many of the public representatives contracted the coronavirus because they had to stand by the people amid the pandemic,” said Whip Iqbalur Rahim.

Fazle Hossain Badsha, general secretary of the Workers Party and MP from Rajshahi-2 seat, tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, a week after he received the second dose of the vaccine.

Tanvir Shakil Joy of Sirajganj-1 and Chhoto Monir of Tangail-2 recently contracted the coronavirus for the second time.