Bangladesh will get priority for trial, distribution of Covid-19 vaccine: Indian high commissioner
During the meeting with the state minister, the Indian high commissioner reiterated the initiatives of India to conduct stage-3 Covid-19 vaccine trial
The newly appointed High Commissioner of India Vikram Kumar Doraiswami said Bangladesh will get top priority for trial, distribution, delivery and partial co-production of a Covid-19 vaccine following its trial in India.
The Indian high commissioner made the statement when he called on the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Wednesday.
During the meeting with the state minister, the Indian high commissioner reiterated the initiatives of India to conduct stage-3 Covid-19 vaccine trial.
The state minister congratulated the Indian high commissioner at the meeting for assuming his assignment in Bangladesh
The high commissioner acknowledged the willingness and efforts of the state minister to develop bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India. Both of them appreciated the historical bond between the two nations.
During the meeting, both of them agreed to hold the long pending meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission at the ministerial level soon.
The state minister recalled the decision of the last Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) to hold the virtual summit between the prime ministers of Bangladesh and India, while the high commissioner gave an assurance that the upcoming virtual summit is not being seen as a substitute for an in-person visit by Prime Minister Modi, rather it will be a complementary summit.
The state minister hoped that the people-to-people connectivity between the two countries would be restored to normal soon.
In this regard, he appreciated the Indian side for reopening "people-people" movement and requested easing their visa regulations.
The high commissioner gave an assurance that the Air Bubble arrangement between Bangladesh and India will be launched soon, and other regulations will also be eased eventually.
Both sides stressed the importance of creating an easy, sustainable mechanism for bilateral "people-people" movement, with ease of travel and exchange of currency.
Other issues, including restoration of Chilahati-Haldibari rail link, connectivity with North-East India, Bangabandhu-Bapu Digital Museum, were also discussed during the meeting.