Bangladesh will not pay more than US$4 for each dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine it is buying from the Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, said Nazmul Hassan Papon, the Managing Director of Beximco Pharma.

The first consignment of five million doses from Serum Institute will reach Dhaka around 11:30am on Monday, he told reporters at his Gulshan residence on Sunday evening.

Also read: 50 lakh Oxford-AstraZeneca doses coming Monday from India: Health Minister

“According to our deal, the doses will be taken straight to our warehouse from the airport. They’ll be sent out to all districts after necessary tests,” he said, adding that Bangladesh is paying the same price for each dose as India.

“At the moment, we can’t say for sure how much it’ll cost but it should be within $3 to $4,” he said. “Although India is paying $4 [for each dose], Bangladesh won’t pay more than $4.”

Also read: Bangladesh’s vaccination plan unveiled

Bangladesh signed an agreement with Serum Institute last month for procuring Covid-19 vaccine. Under the deal, Bangladesh will import 30 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, five million in each month, from Serum in the next six months.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the vaccination drive on Jan 27 at Kurmitola Hospital. A nurse will receive the jab there.

Also read: 20 lakh doses of Oxford vaccine reach Dhaka as gift from India

Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday said the national committee which will decide how the vaccination campaign will be carried out. They have completed their preparations.

The government has a list of everyone who will be vaccinated, he said, adding that permission has been given for antibody tests.

Also read: Bangladesh’s Covid-19 vaccine storage capacity 140-150m: Health Minister

Counter Terrorism Investigation Division (CTID) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested an alleged member of banned militant outfit Neo JMB from the city’s Konabari bus stand under Dar –us- Salam police station.

The arrestee was identified as Minhaj Hossain, 38.

Based on secret information, a team of CTID conducted a raid at Konabari bus stand area at around 6:30 pm on Saturday and arrested Minhaj.

Also read: Operation Elegant Bite: 4 ‘Neo JMB’ members held in city

Sources at the CTID claimed that Minhaj is an active member of Neo JMB. Besides, he has  close ties with members of international extremist militant group Hayat Tahrir Al Shams (HTS).

During preliminary interrogation, he reportedly confessed that he along with his absconding associates were planning to conduct sabotage activities in Dhaka city. 

It is learned that the arrested Minhaj is a Bangladeshi citizen by descent. He was born in Bangladesh and then moved to Pakistan with other family members as a teenager. He grew up there. He and his family later moved to the United States from Pakistan. He also traveled to several countries including Malaysia, Brunei, Papua New Guinea at different times and returned to Bangladesh in 2017.

Also read: 2 ‘Neo JMB’ men held in city

The CTID had an intelligence lead that a Bangladeshi national returned from Turkey in December last year failing to reach Syria. Based on the information, the CTID intensified its intelligence to identify the Bangladesh national and finally arrested Minhaj from Darus Salam thana area on Saturday evening, said Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the DMP Md Walid Hossain.

The identity of the victim  who was stabbed to death in the city’s Kodomfuara crossing of High Court area on Saturday night, came to light on Sunday.

He was 58-year-old Hamidul Islam, son of late Rafiqul Islam, and a resident of Topkhana Road  with his wife Nargis Begum and two kids—Nahidul, 20, and Naina Islam, 12.

Hamidul was involved in the cable rent trade in the city’s Shegunbagicha area.  

Also Read:  College student stabbed dead by mugger in city

Being informed, family members went to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue on Sunday and identified the body of Hamidul, said the younger brother of the victim Shahidul Islam.

According to Shahidul, his late brother had some involvement in JSD. He had no known enemy. “We do not know who did it or why,” he said.

Also Read: Man stabbed dead by 'step-son' in city

A van-puller found the body of Hamidul lying in a pool of blood near Kadom Fuara on Saturday late evening. He was rushed to the DMCH where the on-duty doctor declared him dead around 9:45 pm Saturday.

Also Read: Youth stabbed dead in city

Sub Inspector (SI) Gulam Hossain Khan said several marks consistent with stab injuries were found in his body. The body was handed over to the family members of the victim in the afternoon.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) arrested People's Leasing and Financial Services Limited (PLFS) Chairman Uzzal Nandi and former managing director of International Leasing Rashedul Haque on Sunday for aiding PK Halder.

ACC Public Relations Officer (Director) Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya told UNB that they would produce the accused before the court and seek time to interrogate them.

Also read: ACC arrests ‘two associates’ of PK Haldar

According to the case statement, PK Halder went into hiding after allegedly embezzling Tk 3,500 crore from various financial institutions. The two accused helped Halder in money laundering.

On January 14, ACC froze Tk 1,057 crore from the accounts of 62 associates of PK Halder on charges of them being involved in his money laundering scams.

Also read: Arrest PK Haldar immediately after he returns: HC

BNP on Sunday urged the government to ensure free corona vaccine for all by removing all the confusions about the jabs came from India.

"We want all in the country to get vaccinated. We’ve already said people should be given the vaccine free of cost,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a discussion, he said, "We say again, the country’s people will take the vaccine, but their confidence must be restored in the vaccine, and it has to be given to people for free.”

Also Read: Common people unlikely to get vaccine, says Fakhrul

Nagorik Oikay arranged the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the historic Mass Upsurge Day of 1969.

Fakhrul said people are taking to the social media voicing their doubt with various comments about the 20 lakh jabs of coronavirus vaccine sent by India as a gift. 

He suggested the Prime Minister to take the vaccine first and tell people to follow suit and thus dispel people’s confusion. “The Queen herself received the vaccine first in the UK, while Putin in Russia and Biden in America.”

The BNP leader also urged the ministers and MPs to take the vaccines to encourage people to receive it. Fakhrul voiced anger as he said the government still did not come up with any roadmap on coronavirus vaccine distribution.

Also Read: AL established ‘reign of robbery’ amid pandemic: Fakhrul

He also accused the government of deceiving the country’s people in every sector and urged the political parties to get united to overcome the current situation of the country.

"We have unity and we want to expand it further by uniting people. We want to establish a government of people, a state of people by removing the current fascist regime,” Fakhrul said.

​​​​​​​Also Read: ‘Middlemen hired’ for vaccine import to indulge in graft: Fakhrul

Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury urged people to take the vaccine as they have the right to have it. “I’ll receive the vaccine and you all should also do it.”

He said a movement should be waged for ensuring the vaccine for the people of all walks of life for free.