BD to receive COVID-19 vaccine from India on priority basis: Shringla

Responding to the remarks made by the chief of Serum Institute of India (SII) regarding the bar of export of vaccine, Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said Bangladesh has nothing to be worried as India will provide the COVID-19 vaccine to Bangladesh on a priority basis.

He said "Bangladesh is always a priority country" for India and "when the vaccine is ready, it goes without saying that our closest neighbours and there will be no exception on this matter.”

Shringla, who was the High Commissioner in Dhaka in the recent past, ruled out the media reports quoting Serum Institute of India regarding the ban on export of the virus vaccine.

“There is no problem at all to provide vaccine to Bangladesh. As neighbour Bangladesh will receive the vaccine produced in India from the very beginning,” he added.

Shringla said that initially the vaccine will be sent to Bangladesh on Government to Government arrangement for the people of the country and it will not be brought under any commercial arrangement.

The vaccine will be supplied to Bangladesh under commercial arrangement when India will go for large scale production, he added.