Shawdesh Desk:

The scourge of coronavirus is still being felt in some parts of the world. A rise in virus-affected patients over the past few weeks has also created a fresh concern across Bangladesh, which is on the brink of the 5th corona wave. Health experts have urged for extra caution learning five deaths and 614 infected patients on Tuesday. They stated that a continued rise in the number of coronavirus cases will create a new burden for the country’s health sector. To contain the pathogen, incumbent pro-people  government led by Sheikh Hasina has taken a number of praiseworthy initiatives ensuring people’s safety and security. Under state management, a countrywide vaccination drive is now going on. Presently the third dose of immunisation campaign is underway.

There is no alternative but to prevent the spread of coronavirus by following the health guidelines by wearing facemask, washing hands with sanitisers and maintaining safe distance in public places. Observing the plight of coronavirus patients, the heart of a humanitarian bleeds. Father’s terrible death in Covid-19 motivated  him to develop corona prevention booths to protect people from the fatal disease. The booths resemble ATM booths of banks where facemasks and sanitisers are available for people’s use at free of cost. A person can easily wash his/her hands with sanitiser and pick up a new mask throwing away his/her used mask to a nearby basket.

The innovator of the unique corona prevention booth is Helal Akbar Chowdhury Babar, a resident of Chittagong, also a dedicated student leader. Although his paternal home is Chattogram’s Raozan upazila, he was brought up in Nandankanon area of the port city where he was born on February 1, 1974. His parents are Begum Rizia Chowdhury and Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. Babar has tied the knot with one Jesmin Akter Setu. Two children are born in the wedlock. They are Andaleeb Ijab Chowdhury (son) and Alvina Nawal Chowdhury Farista (daughter). At the outset of student life, he held the post of general secretary (GS) of Nandankanon unit BCL in 1988. Later he became the GS of Enayetbazar ward BCL unit in 1989. In 1997, he was elected the GS of Chattogram Omar Gani MES University College, while he became a member of Chattogram Metropolitan BCL City Steering Committee in 1999, a member of  Bangladesh Awami Jubo League Central Council (Nanak-Azam) in 2003 and lastly accomplished the responsibility of Deputy Financial Secretary of Jubo League Central Council (Faruk-Harun).

Presently, he is active on the streets where he is engaged in organising various programmes on behalf of the ruling Awami League. Alongside, he is serving the mass people through involvement in different socio-cultural, voluntary and professional activities as well as organising sports programmes.

However, beyond the boundary of Chattogram district, Babar has set up 15,000 corona prevention booths in 64 districts where masks and hand sanitiser are available at free of cost. “The importance of these booths are immense in containing Covid-19,” he said.

Regarding his future plan, Babar mentioned that he is a lifelong follower of late ‘Chattola hero’ A B M Mohiuddin Chowdhury. “Inspired by his ideals, I intend to serve both the party and the country remaining above any controversy. I am not working in the hope of any recognition or award from the government; rather I want to contribute my might towards building a developing country under leadership of my leader, Sheikh Hasina, the worthy daughter of Bangabandhu, also a leader of the common people,” he stated.