As the world tackles COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for a new kind of approach that fosters cooperation, and not isolation, among all stakeholders in an article published by the World Economic Forum.

The world is facing a battle against an unknown and invisible enemy. This enemy does not respect any border or hierarchy and unfortunately has exposed the fragilities in our systems, the PM writes.

"Over the last five weeks, Bangladesh, like most countries in the world, has been fighting a dual crisis. On the health front, we mobilised enough testing kits, gloves, masks, PPE. Some of our entrepreneurs have even started producing these locally. We are also in the process of making ventilators locally. Our private sector is supporting the government by setting up thousands of hospital beds. Our doctors, nurses, health workers, defence and law enforcement personnel are working in the front line. With a large informal economy and dense population, we initially wanted to shut down only affected areas and districts. But on April 16, we went for even more stringent measures," reads the article on the World Economic Forum website.

"This has had a telling impact on our economy, which is also unfolding fast. In Bangladesh, we realised very quickly that this crisis is going to cause both a demand and supply shock for our economy. We have to sustain export industries and also support domestic ones," Sheikh Hasina writes.

https://www.thedailystar.net/coronavirus-update-cooperation-and-not-isolation-will-help-us-fight-COVID-19-1897888