President Md. Abdul Hamid and his wife Rashida Khanam received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at Bangabhaban in the afternoon.
“The President and his wife Rashida Khanam took the first shot of Coronavirus vaccine at 5 p.m. at Bangabhaban,” President’s Press Secretary M Joynal Abedin told media.
Secretaries concerned to the President and his personal physicians, among others, were present during the vaccination.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received the first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine on Mar 4.
The premier inaugurated the Covid-19 vaccination rollout in the country virtually at Kurmitola General Hospital in the capital on Jan 27.
The first shot of the Oxford-Astrazeneca developed vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII) was administered to a nurse of Kurmitola General Hospital Runu Veronica Costa during the inauguration of the vaccination campaign.
Then four more people, including two doctors, a traffic police and an Army Brigadier received the vaccine at the hospital. Later, 20-25 frontline health workers also received the vaccine.
Meanwhile, countrywide vaccination campaign started on February 7 and over 40,13, 963 people have so far received the first dose of Coronavirus vaccine, according to health ministry source.
Bangladesh has so far received 90 lakh vaccine doses as a part of tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on Nov 5 last year and a subsequent agreement signed on Dec 13 last year among Bangladesh government, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd and the SII.
Bangladesh received its first ever Covid-19 vaccine consignment on Jan 21 as India sent 20 lakh doses of vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca as gift. Later, Bangladesh has received 70 lakh vaccine doses as part of the tripartite deal.
The agreement ensures availability of three crore Covid-19 vaccine doses by June this year from the Serum Institute of India.
