New Delhi: Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Monday said India has assured his country of more deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines “when the situation further betters here” and that Bangladesh understands India’s “local demands”.
Mahmud, who inaugurated the Bangabandhu Media Centre at the Press Club of India (PCI) here, also said India tackled the second wave of coronavirus effectively and the infection rate has come down from over 25 per cent to 2 per cent which is a “great achievement”.
The media centre has been set up with the support of the Bangladesh High Commission in India to mark the birth centenary of the founding President of Bangladesh, ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The PCI also got a life-size picture of the leader.
The is the first media centre in a press club in India to have been set up with the support of the Bangladesh High Commission to mark the birth centenary of the founding President of Bangladesh, ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The PCI also got a life-size picture of the leader.
“Under the leadership of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian PM Narendra Modi, the bilateral relationship has gone to a new height…. This media centre will help strengthen the cultural ties and the people-to-people contact between the two countries,” he said at the event.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Mohammad Imran said more such centres are planned across India.
Bangladesh had entered into a deal with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to procure 30 million doses of vaccine.
In January, India gifted 3.2 million doses of domestically manufactured coronavirus vaccine to Bangladesh as part of its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
Later, under the agreement, Bangladesh received seven million doses in two consignments until February.
“The Indian government has assured us that they would provide vaccines that are in the contract…when the situation further betters here,” Mahmud told reporters.
He said Bangladesh understands the local demand for vaccines in India.
“Unfortunately, the second wave of COVID-19 hit India a few months ago. That’s why we did not get further deliveries. But I must register my thanks to the Indian government and SII. Also, India gifted us some vaccines as well,” he said.
“And, as you had a domestic demand, many people were dying at that time… so domestic demand definitely was the top priority,” the Bangladeshi leader said.
India had recently gifted two mobile medical oxygen plants to Bangladesh to assist the country during the pandemic.
“I see how effectively the government of India and the people of India have faced the second wave because the rate of infection has gone down to around 2 per cent from more than 25 per cent which is a great achievement,” Mahmud, who will be in India till September 8, added.
Mahmud is the first senior Bangladeshi leader to visit India since Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Dhaka in March to participate in the neighbouring country’s National Day celebrations.
That was Modi’s first visit abroad since the pandemic started ravaging countries.
Mahmud is likely to meet his Indian counterpart Anurag Thakur and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Asked if he’s going to raise the issue of vaccine supply during his meetings with Indian ministers, Mahmud said he was not here for vaccines.
“I have not come for the vaccines…. We understand your local demand and local complexities…. India-Bangladesh relationship is not only (about) the vaccines. There are many other issues…we have a historical relationship. Our ties have strengthened over the last couple of years under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and PM Modi,” he told reporters.
India and Bangladesh are celebrating the 50th year of establishment of diplomatic relations and have organised programmes to mark the occasion in 18 capital cities across the world, besides Delhi and Dhaka.
The minister said Bangladesh has got the AstraZeneca vaccine from Japan under Covax to administer the second dose to people who got their first dose from the SII.
“So, people who took the first vaccine (dose) of AstraZeneca… they are going to get (2nd dose of) AstraZeneca. So, that is not a problem,” the minister added.
Asked about the situation in Afghanistan, Mahmud said, “Stability in Afghanistan is important for stability in the South Asian region.”
“We are keeping an eye on the Afghanistan situation and closely monitoring it,” he added.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Imran said people-to-people contact has increased manifolds in recent years.
“A good number of Indians are employed in Bangladesh and helping us further develop our industrial and service sectors. India also receives the highest number of tourists from Bangladesh. More than two million tourists used to come here before COVID-19 started,” he added.
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