BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul enters quarantine after family member contracts virus

BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has gone into a voluntary self-quarantine at home after a close relative tested positive for the coronavirus.

Fakhrul was scheduled to attend a programme on Thursday to mark the birthday of BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman but he later joined the event via videoconference and spoke about being in quarantine.

“I am sorry that I could not attend this event because [a case of the] corona has been caught in my house. As a result, I have to self-isolate now for 14 days,” he said.

“The coronavirus is now spreading everywhere. Many, including our senior leaders Mirza Abbas, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Mohila Dal President Afroza Abbas, have been affected by the virus. We have lost many leaders in this pandemic."

Fakhrul's family later revealed that his brother-in-law Kazi Ekramul Rashid has been diagnosed with the coronavirus infection. He was staying at the BNP leader's house in Uttara but was admitted to Square Hospital after falling ill.

Addressing the leaders and workers at the event, the BNP secretary general said, "I would request everyone to note that we're now in a difficult time, a bad time. But in these difficult times, we have to be alert and wake up mentally.”