B’desh to receive 2 mn Covishield doses from India as ‘gift’

By Sumi Khan Dhaka, Jan 19 : Bangladesh Health Minister Zahid Maleque has said that the country would receive two million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine (Covishield) from India as a “gift” on Wednesday.
Maleque confirmed to IANS that a special Air India flight carrying the consignment would be landing at Dhaka airport on Wednesday, India has said in a letter to the Bangladesh government.
“We expect the vaccine will arrive as per schedule on Wednesday or on Thursday. I will personally receive the vaccine at Dhaka airport,” the Health Minister said on Tuesday.
The inoculation drive will begin within a week, post vaccine arrival.
“The immunization will be carried out at 300 centres across the country,” Maleque added.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has reported 702 fresh Covid-19 cases, pushing the tally to 5,29,031, while the death toll in the country mounted to 7,942 with 20 more fatalities, health officials said on Tuesday.