Councillors hand out ‘tokens’ for vaccines in Chattogram 

Allegations of irregularities in vaccine distribution have surfaced on the first day of the mass Covid-19 inoculation programme in Chattogram.

Allegedly, vaccines were not available for public in different wards of the city corporation without special "tokens" provided by the councillors.

Thousands of vaccine-seeking people were sent back for not getting tokens from councillors despite waiting for long hours since dawn. However, according to locals, no such instructions were announced officially. 

At the CDA School and College vaccination centre of Chandgaon area, hundreds of men and women were seen waiting in two separate lines to get vaccinated since 7:30am.

However, at around 8.30am, a group of "councillor's men" with tokens came and removed the men and women and the elderly who had been standing in lines for a long time.

Chattogram City Corporation ward 4 (Chandgaon) Councillor Esrarul Haque told The Business Standard, "There is no point in holding the line here (centre). Only those who have been given tokens are eligible to receive vaccines."

When The Business Standard correspondent inquired about the token distribution process, he said those who had contacted the councillors following registration had received them.

However, most of the people waiting there had not received tokens.

Nazrul Islam, an IT Engineer waiting in line, claimed that the councillors had arranged to vaccinate people of their choice. 

"I have come to vaccinate my younger sister. The common people are being told not to be vaccinated today or to come later," he told The Business Standard. 

Hundreds of people were seen clamouring at the Ashekane Aulia Degree College vaccine centre in ward 3 at around 9:30am. People waiting there also alleged that the ward councillor had distributed tokens without any notice for vaccination. 

At Hamzarbagh Government Primary School centre in ward 7, volunteers were seen instructing those without tokens to leave the centre. 

A woman named Sufla Chakma, who was present there, said, "As per the government announcement, I have come to get vaccinated with the NID card. But I am not getting jabbed as I do not have a token."

Chattogram Civil Surgeon Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said there is no guidance from the health department about distributing tokens for vaccines.

"We gave the responsibility (of vaccination) to the people's representatives considering the benefit of the locals. It is very sad and inhumane for the common people not to get vaccinated," he told The Business Standard. 

The nationwide mass inoculation will continue till 12 August. In these six days, 32 lakh people are expected to get the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.