Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad has expressed his dissatisfaction with several civil surgeons of the country over dissemination of wrong information on vaccination of expatriates through a circular.
The minister was speaking at a function at Prabasi Kalyan Bhaban in Dhaka on Thursday.
On Wednesday, civil surgeons of several districts, including Brahmanbaria, issued circulars asking expatriates to contact the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment for Covid-19 vaccines.
Minister Imran Ahmad wondered how the civil surgeons could issue a circular when the ministry had not issued any such circular.
Because of the circular, expatriates from many remote parts of the country had gathered at the ministry for the vaccines, he added.
The minister said the circular should have been withdrawn as it was disseminating wrong information.
The authorities concerned must take responsibility in this regard, he added.
Regarding the vaccination of expatriates, Minister Imran Ahmad said: "Saudi Arabia is not willing to accept the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine. But we are trying to resolve the issue through diplomacy.”
“Moreover, we have asked the government to take measures to vaccinate expatriates with the single dose Covid-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson. The ministry is also willing to bear the necessary costs for the vaccinations,” he added.
Thousands of expatriates demand vaccines
Meanwhile, thousands of Middle East-bound expatriates protested outside the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment on Thursday, demanding an immediate vaccination ahead of Eid-ul-Adha.
They also demanded that the authorities allow them to register for vaccines through using their passports if they did not have their National Identity (NID) cards.
They said they were not able to return to their workplaces in time due to a lack of timely vaccination.
Many among the protesters said their visas were about to expire, but they were yet to even complete their registration for vaccines.
Earlier, some recruiting agencies urged the government to take immediate steps to vaccinate migrant workers on a priority basis.
