Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Saturday said Bangladesh will go for coproduction of Covid-19 vaccines soon, emphasizing that there is no alternative to production of vaccines locally. 

"It's a coproduction. They (partner countries) will send it in bulk and we’ll do other things here - bottling, labeling and finishing," he told reporters after receiving the first consignment of 2,45,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from Japan.

Dr Momen said the countries that went for coproduction of vaccines are doing well. 

A cargo flight of Cathay Pacific Airways carried the vaccine doses that landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Also read: India working to resume vaccine export to Bangladesh, reiterates Doraiswami

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito, Health Services Division Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah and personal physician of the Prime Minister Professor Dr ABM Abdullah were present.

The vaccine doses came under the COVAX facility. 

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito on Friday said Japan would provide a total of 3 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh. 

"This is the manifestation of friendship and partnership," he said. 

Dr Momen reminded all about the importance of maintaining health guidelines saying it is a war against COVID-19. "Everyone has a responsibility."

He said there will be no problem over the vaccine supply for the next few months as they have lined up availability of vaccine doses from multiple sources. 

Dr Momen said Bangladesh is lucky to have an old friend like Japan which sent AstraZeneca vaccine doses when Bangladesh needed it badly to provide the second dose to those who are yet to receive it.

Also read: Dhaka to receive 2.45 lakh AstraZeneca jabs from Tokyo Saturday

During his recent telephone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, Dr Momen raised the vaccine issue and requested him to help Bangladesh with AstraZeneca vaccine supply.

He specifically mentioned the urgency of the AstraZeneca vaccine doses as a good number of people in Bangladesh did not get the second dose of AstraZeneca due to a supply gap.

Japan says it will stand by Bangladesh in the fight against Covid-19.

The Japanese Foreign Minister made an announcement that 15 countries in the region will be provided with 11 million doses in total under the COVAX facility.