Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked all concerned to work with utmost sincerity to make the Covid-19 vaccination programme a success.

“We want protection of all from the coronavirus. I want to say to you all to work with sincerity to make the Covid-19 vaccination a success. We want cooperation from all so that everything goes well to this end,” she said, inaugurating the vaccination campaign at the Kurmitola General Hospital through videoconference from her official Ganabhaban residence this afternoon, reports BSS.

The premier said that the vaccination programme has been taken following all the guidelines and protocols of the World Health organizations (WHO).

Describing January 27 (today) as a historic day for Bangladesh, she said, “Many countries of the world are yet to start vaccination. But, we have started it despite being a country of vast population and limited resources.”

Sheikh Hasina said though the vaccination programme has been taken following the protocols of the WHO, some people are out to criticize the initiative as they have a disease of feeling bad over anything good for the nation.

“They feel unwell when good things happen. Feeling unwell is a disease. I don’t know whether there is any treatment or vaccine for the disease,” she added.

Despite the fact, she said, the government is ready to administer them with vaccines as their criticism inspires them to work with urgency in procuring the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Prime Minister said they have signed a tripartite agreement to bring 3.40 crore doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca as a gift and manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII).

Of those, 50 lakh shots of vaccines have already arrived in Bangladesh and the rest will reach soon while the Indian government has sent 20 lakh doses of it as gift, she said.

The Prime Minister thanked her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for giving the Covid-19 vaccine.

Runu Veronika Costa, senior staff nurse, received COVID-19 vaccine at first at Kurmitola General Hospital while four others — Dr Ahmed Lutful Moben, Additional Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Nasima Sultana, Md Didarul Islam (traffic police) and Brig Gen M Imran Hamid received coronavirus vaccines.

The premier gave heartfelt congratulations to the vaccine recipients and wished them good health.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque spoke at the function while PMO Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the function from the Ganabhaban end.