“We’ve discussed with the Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh and a process is underway to send a letter to the Russian Health Minister through the Russian Embassy,” he said while talking to reporters at the secretariat.

Replying to a question the Health Minister said, “ The Russian government wants to go under government to government process and if there is any facility to produce vaccines in Bangladesh then they could approve it.”

Many companies in Bangladesh have the capability to produce vaccine, he said.

“We have got commitment about vaccine from Oxford researchers while an agreement has been signed between Seram Institute of India and Beximco Pharmaceuticals Company in Bangladesh and the process to get vaccine under government initiative is underway,” said the Health Minister.

In reply to another question, the Minister said no other country or organisation apart from China has applied for vaccine trial in Bangladesh.

Also read: icddr,b gets permission to run Chinese Covid vaccine trial in Bangladesh: Minister

About the meeting with the Korean Ambassador, the Minister said Korea wants to share their experience with Bangladesh as they are tackling the coronavirus pandemic successfully.

They also assured of providing some PCR machines and testing kits, he said adding that they will provide cooperation about antigen test.

Besides, the process to bring antigen kits from Korea is underway, he said.

The health authorities on Monday said 2,980 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, pushing up total recoveries to 208,887, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in a press release.

Meanwhile, death toll from Covid-19 is climbing steadily as 33 more patients succumb to the disease in a day raising the death tally to 4,281 till morning.  

Also read: Beximco joins hands with Indian manufacturer for Covid-19 vaccine