‘Inoculate us, now’
Kuwait expat workers stuck at home urge govt to vaccinate them with Gulf country-approved jabs
Migrant workers, who are stuck at home after coming from Kuwait on holiday, yesterday urged the government to immediately inoculate them with Covid-19 vaccine approved by the Gulf country to make way for their return to workplace.
They urged the government to allow them register for vaccination using data in passport, saying most of them don't have national identity (NID) card required for the registration.
They said this at a press conference held under the banner of "Bangladesh-e Atkeypora Kuwait Probashi Forum" at the capital's Dhaka Reporters Unity, which was aired live on Facebook.
The migrant workers said Kuwait's health ministry has announced that expatriates with valid iqama or residence permit will be able to enter there after taking one of four vaccines approved by the Gulf country from August.
The four types of vaccines approved by Kuwait are -- Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson.
Migrant worker Saiful Islam said at present about 12,000 to 14,000 of them with valid iqama are stuck in Bangladesh.
Monirul Islam Maruf, a Kuwait-based trader, said the government needs to urgently vaccinate the migrant workers with one of the four approved vaccines.
Otherwise, the workers will not be able to enter Kuwait, he said, reading out a written statement.
He urged the government to give directive to the health ministry so that it allows migrant workers to register for vaccination using data in passport.
Most Kuwait-based migrant workers don't have NIDs since they have been living abroad for a long time, Monirul said.
"We want to be vaccinated to go abroad for a living," he added.
Arab News, citing AFP, on Thursday reported Kuwait would allow foreigners who have been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus to enter the country from August 1, after a months-long suspension.
The Gulf country in February banned entry of non-citizens to limit the spread of the virus, but has started to ease some of its Covid-19 restrictions in recent weeks, the report says.