<p style="font-weight: 400;">India is set to honour its commitment to supply Covid 19 vaccines to Bangladesh at the earliest even as the Centre on Sunday said that exports of the much awaited vaccine will be opened up only after meeting the immediate domestic demand. An insider said that though the government will prioritise domestic needs, “Bangladesh will receive the vaccine very soon.”</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">There was some confusion among a few sections in Bangladesh after India said that export of the vaccine will start only after catering to the domestic needs.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">“The vaccine has just got approved on Sunday, this is slightly later than expected. The modalities are already being worked out as we speak to ensure that Bangladesh receives a consignment of the vaccines at the earliest while we also look at our own people,” the source said.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">New Delhi has already indicated that Bangladesh, which enters into the 50th year of its independence next year, could be the first among others to receive the jabs.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on Sunday gave its approval to Covishield and the indigenously developed Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">The Dhaka based Beximo Pharmaceuticals has already tied up with the Adar Poonawala-headed Serum Institute of India (SII) for supply of the vaccine to Bangladesh. SII has already signed an agreement under which the country will receive 30 million doses.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">In a bilateral summit between India and Bangladesh held last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that New Delhi is committed to jointly fight the Coronavirus menace with Dhaka and that supply of the vaccine to the south Asian neighbour would get top priority. Modi is also slated to participate in the 50^th anniversary of Bangladesh independence on March 26 this year.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">“India has special relations with Bangladesh and with the recent meeting held between the leaders of the two countries, the bond has got further cemented. There is no reason why India will delay supply of vaccines to Dhaka,” the source said, adding the modalities need to be worked out.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">“It is our understanding that the statement was generalised. We believe we are on the priority list and we will get vaccine on time,” the Daily Star quoted Rabbur Reza, chief operating officer of Beximco Pharma as saying.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">Insiders said that besides Bangladesh, India, which supplies over 50 per cent of global vaccines, will also work out modalities to export the vaccine to other countries.</p>.