Bangladesh on Thursday received two million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from India as gift. 

Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami handed over the vaccines to foreign minister AK Abdul Momen at a programme at the foreign ministry this afternoon.

Health minister Zahid Maleque, state minister for foreign affairs M. Shahriar Alam, among others, attended the occasion.

Foreign minister Dr Momen termed the occasion as historic one and thanked India for its gesture as friendly neighbour.

Health minister Maleque said the government would start vaccination programme within five to six days on a trial basis, without giving a date.

The first consignment of COVID-19 vaccines earlier reached Bangladesh from India’s Mumbai in the morning by an Air India flight.

Earlier on Wednesday, health secretary Abdul Mannan said that four hospitals in the capital had been selected for experimental vaccination of healthcare providers before rolling out the vaccine for mass immunisation across the country in early February.

BDST: 1917 HRS, JAN 21, 2021
SMS