Bangladesh PM Hasina Reiterates Solidarity with India in Fighting COVID-19

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed solidarity with India in fighting the COVID 19 pandemic together. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Hasina conveyed her condolences and prayers for the victims of the COVID 19 pandemic in India, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. She pledged to combat the pandemic together with all out support from Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh will receive 5 lac doses of the Sinopharm COVID 19 vaccines from China on May 12. The Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming announced it on Monday saying that China is dedicated to international vaccine cooperation.

Bangladesh has stepped up efforts to procure COVID 19 vaccines from



alternative sources after the supply from the Serum Institute of India (SII) stopped due to increased demand caused by a sudden surge in COVID 19 cases in India. More than 10 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZenecaa COVID vaccine  produced by the SII have been provided to Bangladesh till now  including over 2 million doses given as a gift. More than 58 lakh people in Bangladesh have received the 1st dose of the vaccine and over 34 lakh people received the second dose of the vaccine till Sunday.

Bangladesh has already approved emergency use of the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia and the Sinopharm vaccine from China. Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Menon has urged the US also to supply 2-4 million doses of the vaccine to Bangladesh urgently.