Foreign Minister wants to know about Papon’s “tougher stance”

GBNEWS24 DESK//

Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited’s managing director Nazmul Hasan Papon on Saturday asserted that the Bangladesh government would have take “tougher stance” to import Covid vaccine from India.

When Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen attention was drawn to Papon’s remark, he said, “What’s the tougher stance?” “We, from the Foreign Ministry, talked to their External Affairs Minister.”

Asked whether the Bangladesh government raised the issue with the Indian government, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said, “The Indian prime minister has been requested in this regard.”

The minister asked what was the tougher stance. “We–from the foreign ministry, talked to their external affairs minister.

He said, “It (vaccine) would be given. But, a disruption is going on right at this moment.”

The External Affairs minister clearly asserted that the vaccine would be provided as per the agreement, but some disruption is taking place now, because the India’s demand is very high now, and we also cannot send to other countries.”

The Indian High Commissioner also went to New Delhi at the request of the Bangladesh government.

AK Abdul Momen said, “The most important thing is that our Prime Minister has requested the Indian Prime Minister in this regard. Who we should request further?”

The Covishield vaccine was developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford and Serum Institute was given a licence to manufacture the jabs for low- and middle-income countries.