Al-Muslim Group, a leading garment exporter, is constructing quarantine centres at Savar to treat its workers who show Covid-19 symptoms.

The group will inaugurate a centre, which will be able to house 60 patients, at the factory premises very soon. All treatment costs will be borne by them.

"We are preparing another centre in the same building with 60 beds. but construction might take a while," said Imteaz Ahmed Matin, general manager (admin) of Al- Muslim Group.

Matin said so far, nine out of its more than 16,000 workers have been infected with coronavirus. "So, we are turning our 12,000 square-feet accessories factory building into a quarantine centre."

If any worker shows Covid-19 symptoms, they will be sent to the centre immediately. The group will appoint two doctors, six nurses and some technicians in a day or two, he said.

The doctors and technicians will collect test samples from workers and those will be sent to the nearby hospitals or government testing labs. Workers will have to stay at the centre until reports come back.

If the report of a worker comes back positive, they will be sent to hospitals or other centres for further treatment. If it comes back negative, they will be released from the centre, said Matin.

Al-Muslim Group reopened its factories April 25 at Savar's Ulail. The group has taken such an initiative to mainly stop community transmission, as workers' residences are not properly maintaining health-safety measures, he further said.

It is not only Al-Muslim Group, other organisations are also taking initiatives to set up such centres, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

Furthermore, BGMEA is going to set up four coronavirus testing labs in the next 15 days in four industrial belts -- Savar, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chattogram -- with the help of local administrations and health offices, the executive added.

As of yesterday, more than 60 workers from 37 garment factories got infected, said industrial police.

Savar UNO Parvejur Rahman said Al-Muslim Group's initiative is welcomed, and other organisations can follow suit.

Savar's health officials will provide technical support.