Dr Momen said the government wants to continue the inoculation programme with vaccines from alternative sources.
The Foreign Minister made the remarks after his meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller at his office this morning.
He asked the US Ambassador whether they provided any vaccine to India. In reply, Ambassador Miller said they have provided no vaccine to India yet.
The Foreign Minister said the US government needs permission from the Food and Drug Administration to export vaccines which is a time-consuming process. But we need it immediately.
Bangladesh has received 7 million Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses produced by Serum Institute of India (SII) through its contract. Bangladesh also received 3.3 million doses of vaccine as a bilateral partnership gift. This is the largest amount sent from India to any country.
Bangladesh seeks immediate delivery of 4 mn vaccine doses from US: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said the government has sought immediate delivery of 4 million vaccine doses from the United States (US).
The US will share up to 60 million doses of its Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine with other countries as they become available.
“We’ve sought immediate release of four million doses of vaccine (in a letter sent to the US),” he told reporters, adding that he, however, sought a total of 10 to 20 million doses of vaccine from the US.
Dr Momen said the government wants to continue the vaccination programme collecting vaccines from alternative sources.
Bangladesh seeks 20m vaccine doses from US: Momen
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DHAKA, May 6, 2021 (BSS) – Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said he urged the United States (US) to provide as high as 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine while seeking immediate release of 4 million doses as Bangladesh is desperately trying to get more inoculation.
“We’ve sought 10 to 20 million doses of vaccine from USA … (while) we requested immediate release of four million doses,” he told reporters after holding a meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller at the Foreign Ministry here.
Dhaka is in touch with the concerned officials of the US government to get vaccines from there, as the US plans to share up to 60 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine with other countries.
Efforts intensified to get Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from US: foreign minister
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen. File photo UNB, Dhaka UNB, Dhaka
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said the government has intensified its efforts to get vaccine from the United States, as it will share up to 60 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine with other countries. We re expecting it [vaccines], Dr Momen told reporters at his residence adding that Bangladesh Ambassador to the US M Shahidul Islam is in touch with the concerned officials of the US government.
The Foreign Minister said US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller is likely to meet him tomorrow (Thursday) to update on overall issues including supply of oxygen to Bangladesh.
FM urges expats for lobbying to get vaccines from US
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DHAKA, May 5, 2021 (BSS) – Foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today urged Bangladeshi expatriates and diaspora residing in the US to make a strong lobby with the Washington DC so that Bangladesh could get a portion of the US’s surplus COVID-19 vaccine.
“If our diaspora can make an urge there (in the US), it will be easy to get the COVID-19 vaccine from the US,” he told the media at his residence today.
The foreign minister said Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA M Shahidul Islam is in touch with the concerned officials of the US government to get vaccines from there, as the US plans to share up to 60 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine with other countries.