Momen thanks Biden’s plan of sending vaccine to developing nations

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today thanked US president Joe Biden for his announcement of distributing large number of Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses to developing nations while talking to CNN in a live interview, BSS reports.

“This is good news for us,” he told the leading global media adding that Bangladesh looks for vaccines desperately including the US.

The foreign minister said Dhaka was delighted when it heard the US announcement and requested Washington DC to send a portion of nearly 80 million of dosses vaccine, that the US planned to send different nations, to Bangladesh.

Momen said he has already sent a letter to US Secretary of State regarding this.

“We need it (vaccine) desperately. If any shipment comes, we’ll take it right away,” he told CNN.

However, he expressed concern that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking a long time to approve the export of AstraZeneca.

Replying to a question from CNN, the foreign minister said that Bangladesh had taken strict preventive actions at Rohingyas makeshift camps and that resulted very low COVID-19 fatalities and infections rate there.

He said the Bangladesh government wants to vaccinate the forcefully displaced persecuted Rohingyas as well.

Responding to another query about arrest of Prothom Alo journalist Rozina Islam, Momen assured that she would get fair treatment and judgement.

“Bangladesh judiciary is very independent, she (Rozina) will get fair treatment, and judgement,” he said.