The process of development of the vaccine is in the final stages at the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca.

Health Minister of Bangladesh Zahid Maleque and High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami were present on the occasion along with other senior officials of the Health Ministry of Bangladesh and the two companies.

Calling it a ‘landmark agreement’, Health Minister Zahid Maleque expressed the hope that the people of Bangladesh will get relief from this. He said that initially 1.5 crore people will be vaccinated as each person will require two doses of the vaccine.

High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami said that the vaccine from India was chosen not only because it was the best price but also because it is most suitable for the conditions for the distribution of the vaccine in Bangladesh.

He said that the vaccine is also one of the most promising candidates which are being brought up to the international regulators. The High Commissioner said that it is the culmination of the agenda that Prime Minister Narendra Modi put forward in March this year when he told SAARC leaders that this battle should be fought together and won together.

Meanwhile, new air service between India and Bangladesh under the air-bubble arrangement started yesterday. Welcoming the start of the new service, Bangladesh State Minister for Civil Aviation Md. Mahbub Ali said that the air-bubble arrangement between the two countries has helped people who need to travel for medical, business, and other purposes. He pointed out that Bangladesh and India enjoyed excellent relations and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working to further strengthen people to people ties between the two countries.