Bangladesh has started administering COVID-19 vaccine doses to readymade garment (RMG) workers.
The vaccination programme for the workers, who are working amid the coronavirus pandemic to protect the economy, was inaugurated at Tusuka Denim Ltd at Konabari in Gazipur on Sunday.
Some 10,000 garment workers from Sparrow Apparels Ltd, Rose Sweaters Ltd, Tusuka Denim Ltd and Tusuka Trousers Ltd in Gazipur received the first dose of the vaccine on the first day.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan, Gazipur City Corporation Mayor Md. Jahangir Alam, Country Manager at Marks and Spencer for Bangladesh Shwapna Bhowmick, Deputy Commissioner of Gazipur SM Tariqul Islam, Gazipur Civil Surgeon Md. Khairuzzaman and CARE Bangladesh's Country Director Ramesh Singh were present at the programme.
Earlier, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) sent a letter to the government requesting to bring garment workers under vaccination on a priority basis, considering them as front liners since they are doing their jobs amid the pandemic to protect the economy of the country.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan thanked the government for bringing the garment workers under the COVID-19 vaccination on a priority basis.
He said the mass people of Bangladesh will have to be brought under vaccination coverage to help the country’s economy to turn around and remain resilient.
The BGMEA president also requested all to follow health safety protocol, especially wearing facemasks to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection and spread.
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