The government has expressed its regret to China over the 'unintentional disclosure' of the price of Sinopharm vaccine, sources said.
The price disclosure irked China, as according to the non-disclosure agreement, Bangladesh pledged not to disclose the vaccine price, officials said.
The government recently wrote a letter to China, hoping the vaccine supply process would remain smooth.
It was also learnt that Shahida Akhter, additional secretary of the Cabinet Division, was made OSD, as she disclosed the price to media after a cabinet meeting, which approved the vaccine procurement deal.
After the meeting, chaired by Finance Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal, Ms Shahida told reporters in a briefing that they were purchasing the vaccine at $10 per dose.
But immediately after the disclosure, a Ministry of Finance official sent a text to the messenger group of reporters, covering the ministry, requesting the media not to mention the price for the "greater interest of the country".
Later, Health Minister Zahid Maleque declined to disclose the price of the vaccine.
"As the purchase committee has approved the proposal, we hope that the procurement agreement between the two countries will be signed very soon," he said.
Bangladesh proposed to buy 15 million doses of Sinopharm vaccines from June to August.
