Shipment of vaccines from India will begin soon, hopes health minister

Health Minister Zahid Maleque hoped that the shipment of Covid-19 vaccine from India will begin soon.

"There is an agreement in place and the shipment will hopefully start soon," said the minister at an ambulance handover ceremony in the capital today.

Bangladesh received 109 life-support ambulances from India in several phases as a commitment the Indian prime minister made during his visit to Dhaka in March.

"India is our reliable friend. There has been a cultural affair between the two countries for years. India is the part of our Liberation War success," said the minister.

He also said that the Covid-19 situation in the country is under control to some extent.

The daily positivity rate dropped to 7% which earlier climbed to 33%.  Also the single-day death toll came down to 41 today which went up to 270 at one stage.

"The virus is under control in many parts of the world including India. However it did not come under control merely. Everyone worked together to bring it under control."

He also mentioned the prime minister's immediate step to bring vaccines in the country. 

India gave us vaccines first. However, it stopped shipping the jabs following a deterioration in Covid situation there, said the minister.