Minister withdraws statement on punishing unjabbed people over 18 for going out 

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque has withdrawn his Tuesday's statement, in which he said "unjabbed people over 18 will be punished if found roaming outside after 10 August".

A press note signed by Sufi Abdullahil Maruf, senior information officer of the ministry, confirmed this on Wednesday. 

It also said that "all citizens above 18 years of age will be vaccinated in phases."

"Authorities will not allow unvaccinated people aged over 18 to go outside after 10 August. They will face punishment if found violating this health safety mandate," the minister said in a briefing after an inter-ministerial meeting on Tuesday.

The announcement created outcry as the government is yet to allow people aged 18 to register for vaccine and reportedly there are not enough vaccine in stock for vaccinating all the people of the age group.