Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday received the second consignment of 781,320 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from Japan under the Covax facility.
A cargo flight of Cathay Pacific that carried the vaccine doses landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 3:15pm.
Health Service Division Senior Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki were also present there.
"We're thankful to Japan. They've proved that they're real friends of all Bangladeshis," said Momen after receiving the vaccine consignment.
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He said Japan, maybe in the future, would be providing more and more support to deal with the situation.
Momen said Covid-19 is a big global problem and no country can resolve it alone.
Referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said the vaccine should be a public good and ownership of its technology should be shared by all the countries.
The third consignment that will contain 616,780 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Momen had received the first consignment of 245,200 doses from Japan on July 24.
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Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Shahabuddin Ahmed saw off the second consignment of Japan-manufactured AstraZeneca vaccine at the Narita Airport.
Japanese Ambassador Naoki said this is the manifestation of friendship and partnership.
During his recent telephone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, Momen had raised the vaccine issue and requested him to help Bangladesh by supplying the AstraZeneca vaccine.
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 this vaccine due to a supply gap.
Japan says it will stand by Bangladesh in the fight against Covid-19.
The Japanese foreign minister announced that 15 countries in the region will be provided with 11 million doses in total under the Covax facility.
