Staff Correspondent: Dhaka, Aug-14,

Bangladesh on Friday received ten lakh (1 million) doses of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine from China as a gift.

This new batch of China-aided vaccine doses arrived just after former batches of 11 lakh gifted Chinese Sinopharm vaccine doses received on May 12 and June 13.

A chartered flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the consignment arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 6pm.

Besides, another Biman flight is scheduled to leave for China on 14 August to bring more doses of the vaccine.

Tahera Khandaker, deputy general manager (Public Relations) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, confirmed the information.

Earlier,  17 lakh more doses of Sinopharm reached here as part of the Covax facility.

On the other hand, the government on Wednesday approved a proposal to purchase six crores more doses of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine from China.

Besides, the government previously paid China for 1.5 crore doses of the vaccine, of which 70 lakh doses have already arrived in the country.

In fighting against the virus, China and Bangladesh have always been standing together, supporting and assisting each other in times of difficulties and challenges, vividly illustrating the profound friendship between the two countries, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.

The pandemic is yet another reminder that the humanity rise and fall together with a shared future, it said.

Confronted by a pandemic like COVID-19, the vision of building a global community of health for all, tide over this trying time through solidarity and cooperation must be championed and any attempt to politicize, label or stigmatize the virus be firmly rejected, said the Embassy.

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