Expats protest outside Square Hospital over vaccine shortage
Published: 21 January 2025, 5:19:24
Middle East-bound expatriates are staging demonstration, blocking road in the capital’s Panthapath area due to the shortage of vaccines.
Around 300 expatriates gathered near Square Hospital at about 10:30AM on TuesdayAccording to police sources, many of the protesters are expats, from Saudi Arabia, and some are Umrah pilgrims waiting for vaccinations.
They were scheduled to take vaccines from different hospitals in the capital on Tuesday. But when they went to the hospitals, they found no vaccines are available there.
They were, later, informed that the vaccines are available at the Square Hospital. Getting no vaccination at the Square Hospital, they took position on the street.
Police are trying to bring the situation under control and normalise the vehicular movement, said DMP’s Sher-E-Bangla Nagar Police Station officer in-charge Md Jubayer.
Square Hospital’s senior vice-president doctor Faisal Zaman said, “Expatriates have been sitting in front of our hospital for vaccination since 8:30AM. But there is no vaccines at the hospital right now.
On Monday, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport authorities issued new guidelines making meningitis vaccination mandatory for hajj and Umrah passengers. This vaccination will be required due to the new guidelines of the Saudi Arabian government. Thes instruction will be effective from February 10.
