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Officials of sea, land ports to be jabbed from July 14: Khalid


Published : 11 Jul 2021 09:43 PM

State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury MP has said that the concerned officials and employees of the sea and land ports under the Ministry of Shipping will be vaccinated against corona virus on the government's priority list from July 14 (Wednesday).

The state minister said this while talking to reporters in the conference room of the Shipping Ministry in the capital on Sunday.

The health of the concerned officers and employees will be protected so that they can work without worries. There will be no crisis of corona vaccines and as part of the emergency services, the ferry service will continue in compliance with the hygiene rules, Khalid added.

He further said 12,000 corona vaccines would be given in the first phase at sea and land ports. Vaccination activities will remain ongoing after that. Many skilled officials at the sea and land ports are working under risk. If they are affected by Corona, the work of the port will be hampered immensely. So, the government will vaccinate them as a matter of priority and they will work without risk. 

He then said, the corona vaccine crisis was evident from the first. Many countries were not getting required vaccines while, we were being vaccinated from the beginning. As Bangladesh was in a list of 30 countries of the world that received the vaccine before others, we could get the vaccines fast. So, criticism of the vaccine is not acceptable.

The state minister said seaports and land ports have been at risk since March, 2020. 

The supply chain is kept active with daily necessities while, at least 15 people have died of Corona infection at Chittagong port. A 50-bed dedicated hospital for Corona patients have been set up there. Work is going on in Mongla port as well. Attempts were made to vaccinate the officials at sea and land ports in the first phase also, he added. 

Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said the ferry service was not stopped and is still running. However, from July 9, crossing of all types of passenger transport on the ferry have been closed. Only emergency goods vehicles and ambulances are crossing in compliance with strict hygiene rules. 

“We have to follow hygiene rules properly. Only then we will be successful in beating corona virus. Many Eid will come in life and if we survive, we will be able to celebrate many Eid in future”, the State Minister said urging all.