MT Desk: Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday termed the agreement on vaccine coproduction with China as the beginning of “an excellent partnership” between Dhaka and Beijing.  

“This (agreement) is an example of great partnership ... we have started an excellent partnership (today),” he said.

The foreign minister was speaking at the signing ceremony of memorandum of understanding (MoU) among Bangladesh, China and Incepta Pharmaceutical on coproduction of Sinopharm vaccine in Bangladesh.

Under the agreement, Incepta, a Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company, will bring in bulk and make bottling, labeling and finishing of the jabs here locally.

Expressing thanks to the government and people of China for their continuous support to Bangladesh in COVID cooperation, Momen said two countries have been very supportive to each other from the very beginning of Covid-19.

“I am sure this memorable cooperation will soon enable Bangladesh to produce vaccine locally … (while) continued supply chain of vaccine (from China) to be maintained,” said the foreign minister.

He said China has provided 2.1 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine as a gift to Bangladesh while sent 3.4 million doses under the COVAX facility in addition. “We are lucky as China agreed to provide us vaccine,” he added. 

He said Dhaka commercially purchased 15 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine while China has already delivered 8 million doses out of those. 

Apart from that, the foreign minister said, Dhaka has also proposed China to sell 60 million more doses to Bangladesh.  “We are looking forward to get confirmation of that … (as) we want steady flow of vaccine,” he added.

Momen said the foreign and health ministers are working as a team and they did better than many other countries.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming, and Incepta Chairman Abdul Muktadir signerd the MoU on behalf of their respective sides.