India on Thursday officially handed over 20 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine by Oxford-AstraZeneca as a gift to Bangladesh hours after the arrival of the consignment at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
Indian High Commissioner Vikram Kumar Doraiswami handed over of the first box of the vaccines to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Health Minister Zahid Maleque at a programme at State guesthouse Padma Thursday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, a special Air India cargo, carrying the vaccines gifted by India, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:21am.
Dr AK Abdul Momen earlier on Wednesday said there would be sufficient vaccines in the country with 35 lakh doses of Covishield coming from India on Thursday.
Of the 35 lakh doses, 20 lakh doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine made by Serum Institute were going to be sent by India as a gift while 15 lakh doses will come through private-sector channels.
Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar tweeted on "VaccineMaitri" saying India reaffirms the highest priority accorded by India to relations with Bangladesh.
