Covid-19 vaccine delivery: Indian high commissioner says no reason for Dhaka to be concerned
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami said in a tweet today that the country's "cherished partner Bangladesh" has no cause for alarm over receiving the Covid-19 vaccine on time because India always prioritises its neighbours.
"Saw media reports on the vital issue of covid vaccine, and statement of CEO Serum Institute. No reason for alarm in cherished partner Bangladesh: we always consider our neighbours on priority. This time too. No exceptions," Doraiswami said in a Twitter post this evening.
An hour later, he tweeted: "As just noted above .. for those who were concerned. Please see clarification by CEO on exports," and retweeted a post of Serum Institute of India's CEO Adar Poonawalla clearing up the issue.
The confusion was created when Poonawalla, in a recent interview after the shot was approved for emergency use in India, said exports might be possible after supplying the Indian government with an initial 100 million doses.
Earlier today, a diplomatic source in New Delhi told UNB that Bangladesh had nothing to be worried about with regard to vaccine delivery.
"We've seen the statement made by the head of the Serum Institute of India. There's no reason for Bangladesh to be concerned because India has always considered its neighbours on a priority basis. There'll be no exception this time either," UNB quoted the diplomatic source as saying.
Reiterating the highest priority India attaches to Bangladesh under its "Neighbourhood First Policy", Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a summit meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on December 17 last year, assured that vaccines would be made available to Bangladesh as and when produced in India.