Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instructed the health minister to visit hospitals even on government holidays to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services for the public.
He gave the directive at a time when the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) struggles to cope with a surge in measles cases, with infections rising since January and putting additional pressure on already stretched healthcare services.
Tarique also asked ruling BNP lawmakers to work in coordination, remain united in addressing problems, and stay active in their constituencies to ensure prompt service delivery and address public concerns.
The directives came at a parliamentary party meeting of the ruling party held yesterday morning at the Jatiya Sangsad, according to meeting sources.
The country’s fuel and energy situation, as well as the law and order situation, was also discussed at the meeting.
Tarique told lawmakers to remain active in their areas so that no one can create artificial crises by exploiting local weaknesses or poor coordination, sources said.
Several MPs stressed the need for close monitoring of supply and stock to prevent shortages, according to those present at the meeting.
The meeting also discussed ordinances issued during the interim period and matters related to the July Charter.
A proposal was placed to form a committee comprising ruling party MPs, opposition lawmakers, and academics to examine the issue further, sources said.
The leader of the House also underscored the need for accountability in the way ministries function.
He told those present that ministers must remain answerable not only for policy decisions but also for the overall performance of their offices.
Meeting sources said this was the first time ministers were being made directly accountable to ruling party lawmakers in such a structured manner.
During the discussion, lawmakers raised a range of issues related to different ministries, including service delivery, implementation delays, coordination gaps, and the need for stronger field-level monitoring.
The prime minister asked ministers to maintain regular communication with ruling party MPs so that problems in constituencies can be identified quickly and addressed through the relevant ministries.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister made surprise visits to several ministries and offices at the Secretariat to check attendance and office discipline.
He reached the secretariat at around 9:05am and visited the offices of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources; the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs; the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
Officials said he enquired about the presence of officers and staff and checked whether discipline was being maintained.
He also observed electricity use at the ministries during the rounds.
Later, Tarique held a meeting with cabinet members and advisers and sought updates on the Farmer Card programme.
Sources said the design work for the Family Card has been completed, and the prime minister expressed satisfaction over the progress.
The prime minister said he hoped the programme could be launched within April, noting that the government has already begun implementing election pledges, including waiving agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000.
