Dhaka receives 2.45 lakh AstraZeneca from Tokyo

The first consignment of 2,45,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine arrived here on Saturday afternoon from Japan.

Dhaka, July 24 :  The first consignment of 2,45,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine arrived here on Saturday afternoon from Japan.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen received the vaccine doses that came under the COVAX facility.

A cargo flight of Cathay Pacific Airways carried the vaccine doses that landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito on Friday said Japan would provide a total of 3 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh. 

"This is the manifestation of friendship and partnership," he said. 

During his recent telephone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, Dr Momen raised the vaccine issue and requested him to help Bangladesh with AstraZeneca vaccine supply.

He specifically mentioned the urgency of the AstraZeneca vaccine doses as a good number of people in Bangladesh did not get the second dose of AstraZeneca due to a supply gap.

Japan says it will stand by Bangladesh in the fight against Covid-19.

Earlier, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi made an announcement that 15 countries in the region will be provided with 11 million doses in total under the COVAX facility, reports UNB.