Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday told the Parliament that Bangladesh received a total of 115 million Covid-19 vaccines free of cost under the Covax facilities.

“Bangladesh has so far got a total of 295 million Covid vaccines. Of these, 180 million vaccines were procured and we got the remaining doses free under the Covax facilities,” he said, replying to a supplementary question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Haque (Kishoreganj-3).

In reply to a scripted question from Treasury Bench lawmaker Ali Azam (Bhola-2), the minister said the government has a plan to vaccinate 80 per cent people of the country and all nationals aged above 5 will come under the Covid inoculation coverage.

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As of June 01, the people were given a total of 12,87,73,436 first doses of Covid-19 vaccines, 11,76,45,371 second shots and 1,52,89,610 booster doses, he said adding that some 2,43,918 doses were given to the floating people.

Responding to a starred question from Awami League MP Nurunnabi Chowdhury (Bhola-3), the health minister said the government suspended the production licenses of 46 drug companies from January 2021 to November 2021 for the sale of adulterated, substandard and expired medicines.

The 46 companies include 17 homeopathic companies, 14 ayurvedic, six yunani, five allopathic and four herbal ones.

The mobile courts filed a total of 2,036 cases and materialized over Tk 26.7 million as fine for the same offenses in 2021, he said.

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Besides, 91 cases were filed in the magistrate courts and 21 other cases were lodged in the drug courts in this regard, said the Minister.