Travel thru Bangladesh-India border to be discouraged due to Omicron: Momen

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said travel through the Bangladesh-India borders will be discouraged on health safety grounds due to Omicron.

“Considering the health issue, there should be more safety measures at the borders to protect our people,” said the foreign minister while talking to reporters after inaugurating booster Covid-19 vaccine doses for diplomats stationed in Dhaka.

Booster Covid-19 vaccine doses are now available for diplomats at Sheikh Russel Gastroliver Institute and Hospital in the city.

About Omicron and health safety, Dr Momen said the government is not considering lockdown right now because the fatality rate due to Omicron is very low. But the government is considering keeping passengers limited in all types of transports to check spread of this variant of Covid-19, he added.

“The government will take steps to reduce the number of passengers everywhere that it did earlier too. We’ll follow the same procedure.” he said.

Dr Momen said he is happy that they could arrange this special vaccination programme for all diplomats stationed in Dhaka and their dependents.

“The government is very thankful that many countries have come forward and have been donating vaccine doses under the COVAX facility,” he said.

Momen said the government is trying its best but still has a long way to go as a new variant Omicron has emerged.

“So far, we’re on right tract but we must protect ourselves. I would ask everyone to maintain health safety measures as much as you can,” he added.

Ambassador of the European Union to Bangladesh, Charles Whiteley thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for arranging booster dose vaccination for the diplomatic community. (BSS)