Govt didn’t pursue other sources of vaccine to serve interest of a company: GM Quader

Jatiya Party Chairman and Deputy Leader of the Opposition GM Quader today said that the government did not keep any alternative source for importing Covid-19 vaccine to serve business interests of a particular company that has made profits worth crores of taka.

GM Quader also said it seemed that crores of taka are being misappropriated in the name of importing vaccine through that particular company.

In a statement, the JP chairman said uncertainty in vaccine management has been created as the government did not keep any scope of importing vaccine from alternative sources from the point of business interest.

"As a third party, a company has made profit worth crores of taka but the guarantee of getting vaccine has not been ensured," he said.

He added that according to media reports, a particular company that imported Covid-19 vaccine made profit of Tk 77 for each ampule of vaccine. According to a report on the stock market's website, they have earned Tk 38.367 crore by importing 50 lakh doses of vaccines from January to March.

Quader said the supply of Covid-19 vaccine from India has suddenly stopped and due to not keeping any alternative source, the vaccination programme is now in extreme uncertainty.

"At a time when the epidemic is raging in Bangladesh, we are being forced to suspend the vaccination programme due to lack of vaccines," he added.

The JP chief said business over import of coronavirus vaccines is not acceptable during the pandemic.