DHAKA, April 28, 2022 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said if required, legal actions will be taken against those including Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) who made falsehood over the corona vaccine issue.

“The government has saved Taka 20,000 crore of the state in the context of procuring free Covid vaccines. If required, legal actions will be taken against those including TIB who made falsehood over the issue,” he said.

Hasan, also Awami League Joint General Secretary, said this while replying to journalists at the ministry’s meeting room at the Secretariat here.

He said Health Minister Zahid Maleque at a press briefing informed that the government has given vaccines worth Taka 40,000 crore.

When 130 countries couldn’t even begin vaccination for Covid-19, Bangladesh began inoculation programme, he said referring to the health minister.

Over 25 crore of doses were given to people and of those, 13 crore were first dose, over 11.5 crore were second dose and 1.5 crore were booster dose, the health minister informed.

In spite of being a developing nation, every people got vaccine free of cost in Bangladesh, which is not even seen in many developed nations, Maleque said.

Vaccine procurement, supplying across the country, vaccination management cost Taka 20,000 crore and the government saved Taka 20,000 of the state in the context of procuring free Covid vaccines, the health minister mentioned.

In this regard, Dr Hasan said but TIB misinterpreted the health minister’s remarks.

Death rate in Covid-19 is 1.5 percent in Bangladesh but TIB statement says the rate is 7.8 percent, he said, adding that it has proven how much unprofessional organization TIB is.

Around 30,000 people have so far died of Covid-19 in Bangladesh but if TIB’s imaginary death rate is counted, the number will be 1.5 lakh, he said.

The information minister said TIB in a purpose-oriented way blamed the country and gave imaginary information for spreading hatred against the government in the name of research without conducting any study.

BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed is also making remarks referring to TIB like an ignorant, he said.

He said legal actions should be taken against those who are making such falsehood.

When the entire world, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN) lauded Bangladesh’s efforts in facing Covid-19, they (TIB and BNP) are making criticism, he said.

If required, legal actions will be taken against TIB and legal notice will be served, he said.

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s son Sheikh Jamal, he paid glowing tributes to Jamal.

When Sheikh Jamal along with his mother and other members of the family were detained at a house in Dhanmondi during the War of Liberation in 1971, he found the means to escape and fled away from the place taking life risk to join the struggle to free the country after receiving training, he mentioned.

After the Liberation War, Sheikh Jamal received training from Yugoslavia and Sandhurst in UK, he served as second lieutenant of Bangladesh Army, he said.   

Mentioning that Sheikh Jamal, who was killed on the fateful night of August 15, 1975, could serve the country hugely if he remained alive, Hasan said in one hand, Jamal was a military officer and on the other hand, he was a cultural-minded person.

Sheikh Jamal, a promising youth, was efficient in instrumental music, he mentioned.

Even after being a son of prime minister, he worked for ice-cream selling in England, he said, adding that many people might not know it.

He prayed for eternal peace of departed soul of Sheikh Jamal.

Earlier, the minister unveiled the cover of a book titled “Coronaviruser Songe Madok O Tamaker Samparko” authored by Ekushey Padak recipient Dr Arupratan Chowdhury.

Terming the book as a time-befitting one, he requested all to read the book.

Senior journalist Kanchan Kumar Dey, Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum Vice-President Motahar Hossain and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) Vice-President Manik Lal Ghosh also joined the cover unveiling ceremony.