DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh is ready for level testing of potential COVID-19 vaccines developed in India and will get the first materials from any successful candidate, officials said Wednesday, while a Chinese company continued ” awaiting approval of their check application.
New Delhi regards its eastern neighbor, Bangladesh, as a strategic best friend and has the influence in Beijing’s development there.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his foreign minister to Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, on Tuesday to meet for two days with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and officials.
“Bangladesh is in a position to contribute to the progression of a COVID vaccine, adding its test, and expects immediate and affordable availability of the vaccine when it is in a position,” his Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The statement follows an assembly by foreign minister and his Indian counterpart Harshdhan Shringla, in which Shringla discussed India’s economies of scale in vaccine production with Bangladeshi officials, according to the statement.
“They (India) responded positively, saying that vaccines would come just for them and also for others,” Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Masud Bin Momen said after the meeting.
“It will be done to take you to Bangladesh at stage number one.”
India is home to the world’s largest vaccine production company, the Serum Institute of India, and is recently testing for 3 COVID-19 vaccines, adding an authorized AstraZeneca Plc through Oxford University.
Bangladesh’s national medical agency, which reported 285,091 coronavirus infections and 3,781 deaths, last month approved a third-phase trial of a possible COVID-19 vaccine developed through Sinovac Biotech Ltd in China.
However, final government approval is still pending.
Ruma Paul reports; Edited through Krishna N.Das and Jan Harvey
All quotes were delayed for at least 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of operations and delays.
© 2020 Reuters. All rights are reserved.