Vaccine facility to be set up in Gopalganj: Minister

Mentioning that Bangladesh wants to be vaccine dependent, not lockdown, Health Minister Zahid Maleque has said a vaccine manufacturing factory will be set up in Gopalganj.

“We are very interested in vaccine production in the country. Talks are being held with China and Russia in this regard. In Bangladesh, a vaccine manufacturing factory will be set up in Gopalganj,” the health minister told reporters at his residence at Garpara village in Manikganj on Saturday.

Zahid Maleque said, “The decision to impose an all-out lockdown was due to the rapid spread of the infection in the country. Other countries have also brought the situation under control with strict lockdowns. However, the country is affected in various ways including the economy in the lockdown. But as long as most people are not vaccinated, there is no alternative.

The infection rate in the country is now about 22 percent, said health minister adding that “People still do not want to accept the lockdown. They do not follow health guidelines including wearing masks. Everyone has to come out of this situation.”

The minister said vaccines are coming from China very fast. However, due to confidentiality, he did not want to say anything about when and how much is coming.

Talks are also under way with Russia to get vaccine from them, said Zahid Maleque adding that the quantity will not be too much as their production capacity is not high.