Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday asked the authorities concerned to engage more the local public representatives in containing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

“The prime minister issued the instruction while addressing a meeting of the National Technical Advisory Committee formed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 in the country,” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told BSS after the meeting.

He said the meeting was held at Ganabhaban, the official residence of the prime minister, from 11 am to 2 pm.

At the meeting, the prime minister also gave various directives to stem the transmission of the lethal virus as well as provide medicare services to the infected patients.

The meeting reviewed various measures the committee has taken to curb the spread of the disease and provide healthcare services to the people infected by the COVID-19, the press secretary said.

Committee President Prof Dr Mohammad Shahidullah, PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, PMO Secretary Tofazzal Hossain Mian, PM’s Private Physician Prof Dr ABM Abdullah, Secretary of the Health Services Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ashadul Islam and other members of the committee were present at the meeting.

The government on April 19 formed the 17-member National Technical Advisory Committee in a bid to tackle the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

Prof Dr Mohammad Shahidullah, senior child specialist and president of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, is president of the committee, while Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), is the member-secretary.