Zunaid Ahmed Palak takes Covid-19 vaccine shot

Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the state minister for information and communication technology, has received a shot of Covid-19 vaccine.

He received his shot at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka at around 10:40am on Thursday.

He is the first member of parliament and top ministry official in the country to have received the vaccine jab.

"People are asking why the ministers or the MPs are not taking the vaccine. That is why I decided to come and take the vaccine today," the ICT state minister said.

He further added that he had not yet felt any different – any adverse effect after getting vaccinated.

BSMMU Vice Chancellor Dr Kanak Kanti Barua, Health Services Secretary Abdul Mannan, and Additional Secretary (World Health) at Health Services Division Kazi Zebunnesa Begum also received the vaccine shots at the hospital.

Also Read  - Covid-19 vaccination begins at 5 government hospitals in Dhaka

Abdul Mannan also said he was feeling as usual after getting vaccinated.

He said he and his colleague Kazi Zebunnesa Begum had decided to take the vaccine shots to encourage people to vaccinate themselves.

It is safe and easily administered, he added.

Palak said high-profile government officials and doctors were getting vaccinated to encourage the citizens.
More MPs and government high-ups will take their vaccine jabs when the first phase of the nationwide vaccination program rolls out on February 7, he added.

The vaccination program kicked off on a trial basis in Bangladesh on Wednesday, with 26 people, including five government officials and two journalists, getting their shot.

During the trial run, vaccines are being administered on selected people, mostly front-line workers, at five government hospitals in Dhaka.

Also Read - Health Minister: No side effects of vaccine recorded yet

Visiting the vaccine booths at BSMMU on Thursday, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said no side effects of the vaccines had yet been reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, the health minister said the vaccine recipients would be monitored for seven days for possible adverse effects.

During the trial run, the government plans to inoculate around 700 people at the five hospitals in Dhaka.

The government has also launched a website for the citizens to register online for vaccination.