Bangladesh has been compelled to suspend its first-dose Covid-19 vaccination for an indefinite period from Monday as the India’s Serum Institute broke the tripartite agreement to supply three crore doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine after supplying only 7 million doses. As a result, 1.3 million people who have taken the first dose have fallen into uncertainty over taking the second shot. In fact, the tripartite deal between the Bangladesh government, Beximco Pharmaceuticals and Serum Institute of India that brought hope to the people has turned into a despair.
According to a report published in this daily on Monday, if the current rate of use continues, the government’s stock of Covid vaccine would run out within two weeks. As per the agreement, Serum Institute was supposed to supply 5 million doses every month. However, Serum Institute informed Bangladesh that the Indian government has put a bar on exporting vaccines for the time being, clearly indicating that it could not export vaccines now as the demand for vaccines rose within India due to rapid surge in infections.
The government does not care to listen, it has absolute power to ignore everybody else. So it is not relevant to discuss accountability of the government. We want vaccines, not any vaccine, but right vaccines.
It is accepted unless the whole world is effectively vaccinated no country, big or small, is safe from the Covid virus. Many of the countries in the world suffer from incompetent governments. Some of them are to be considered failed governments. There are leaders who lack competence, vision and foresight to know how best to serve the people. Many people are dying for shortsightedness of the government. The people of India would not have suffered the terrible devastation .if the Modi government could have shown little foresight. The Prime Minister Modi has been busy to make India a Hindu country spreading hatred against the Muslims of India. Education is essential for foresight.
We have been insisting that the UN must play a much more active role to ensure the world is vaccinated.
