Staying Safe from Covid-19

Both dengue and coronavirus needs to eradicated for the good health of the people of India and Bangladesh. A noted socio-cultural organization named Bangla Worldwide set an example which we can follow. Born on 21 February 2021, the organization distributed 250 Ventilators to our close neighbor to Bangladesh and 160 to Indian state of West Bengal. The brain behind this novel approach was Dr Amit Chakravarty and Dr Giasuddin Ahmad noted physician based in US.

Through this novel approach I find that Bengalis of both India and Bangladesh were imbibed under a banyan tree. It is aptly true to the core of our heart that once upon a time there were vices and venom between Bengalis of both sides of the fence, but the interesting parts are cultural and social issues have turned the tables once again under one banner. This is no doubt an interesting phenomenon as per the integration of Bengalis are concerned. Thus in the subsequent paragraph it is my humble task to deeply introspect about driving out Coronavirus from the threshold of societies in India and Bangladesh.

It is during the past one and half years since March 2020 till the impact of Coronavirus (Covid-19) was just like a sting in our mind and heart. On account of this sting lakhs of innocent human lives which includes dedicated doctors in both Bangladesh and India. Despite repeated advice by doctors of India and Bangladesh some have adhered religiously to their advice but there are quite a good many of them did not bother to pay any heed to it. On account of this callousness there are many citizens of both nations lost their lives along with doctors.

There were also severe shortages of ventilators and oxygen cylinders which were one of the reason those prized lives could not be saved. However despite the darker side of the ball game a humanitarian gesture was generated by two leading doctors from South Asian continent Dr Amit Chakravarty( Urologist based in US from Cuttack, India) and Dr Giasuddin Ahmad( from Bangladesh) donated 250 ventilators to Bangladesh and 160 Kolkata,( India).  Really it is a heroic achievement on the part of those doctors (I would say they are equivalent to The Almighty).

On account of these gestures along with pious mentality on their part a Webinar was organized by Bangla World Wide during the evening hours of July 26, 2021. The Webinar was carried on from 19.00 hours IST and 19.30 hours BST till 21.00 hours IST and 21.30 hours BST. The Webinar began at the schedule time with noted journalist from Kolkata, India, the legendary one and only Snehashis Sur. Sur is also a noted figure in Kolkata's cultural and social milieu plus a prolific teacher in the field.

Among the notable participants at the Webinar was Professor Pabitra Sarkar (Kolkata, India), Dr A.B.M Abdulla, noted physician of repute plus personal physician and social worker of repute from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Dr Giasuddin Ahmad, an well reputed doctor from Bangladesh based for a long time at US, Dr Kamrul Hasan Khan, noted physician and former vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College, Dhaka, Dr Amit Chakravarty, noted urologist of repute from Cuttack, India, based in US, Dr Imtiaz Ahmad, noted physician from Bangladesh based in UK plus a prolific  cultural activist of repute, Aroma Dutta, noted parliamentarian of Bangladesh Parliamentarian, Ramendu Majumdar, noted stage actor of repute at Dhaka and finally Mujtaba Hakim Plato, noted journalist from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

During the entire two hours discourse I found that a feeling of pleasantries and fraternities exchanged between compeer Sur and other panelists. What I noted among the participants all of them rendered their deliberations amicably and also in a fraternal gestures. Such as Dr Abdulla, the way he managed to get the customs clearance from Indian capital city New Delhi and Bangladesh capital city Dhaka. Dr Abdulla being the personal physician of Prime Minister is spearheading the distribution of ventilator to all the nook and corners of that country.

Other speakers spoke vividly about proper availability of ventilators as well as oxygen. For example Professor Pabitra Kumar Sarkar spoke about proper utilization of the ventilators though more supply of those items is highly solicited by those pious souls from US, Dr Amit Chakravarty and Dr Giasuddin Ahmad.

Also Parama Dutta, Sangshad MP emphasized deeply about proper training of the usability of ventilator who hail from freedom fighter's family (granddaughter of Dhirendra Nath Dutta who spearheaded Amar Ekusehy Movement) expressed his eloquent touch about wide ranging reach of these ventilators.

Ramendu Majumdar along with Dr Kamrul Hasan Khan spoke in details about proper utilization of these ventilators. What is most distressing that why there was no participants from WB, India. It is my sincere hopes and cherishment that in subsequent Webinar which will be organized by Bangla World Wide more participation of doctors, academicians and writers are deeply cherished.

There should be regular usage of masks along with sanitizers. Total avoidance of crowded places based in Kolkata and Dhaka plus rest of India. Regular availability of ventilator to all major hospitals based in Dhaka and Kolkata plus rural belt in both cities should not be neglected at all. It would be gracious on the part of Dr Chakravarty and Dr Ahmad if they manage to send more ventilators along with oxygen cylinders. In summation of my above views, I feel this kind of humanitarian endeavors by those two pious souls plus that of Mr. Snehashish Sur and Mr Soumyabrata Das are expected to grow.


Sujayendra Das is a Kolkata-based senior columnist.