Expat Bangladeshis in Lebanon flock to get Covid-19 vaccines

A large number of Bangladeshis expatriates living in Lebanon have flocked to Covid-19 vaccination centres after they got the opportunity to be vaccinated in a special programme.

The three-day vaccination programme started yesterday and will continue till Thursday.

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have jointly organised the vaccination programme at the Sajes School in the Izdaidi area on the outskirts of the capital, Beirut.

During the first two days, a huge crowd of expat Bangladeshis were seen waiting in line for a long time at the vaccination centre.

About 650 Bangladeshis received vaccines yesterday, according to sources at the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut.

"As a result of the embassy's constant communication and publicity, expatriate Bangladeshis are motivated to get vaccinated," said Abdullah Al Mamun, labour secretary of the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut.

He urged every Bangladeshi in the country to get vaccinated to reduce health risks.

Expatriates -- above 30 years of age -- from all countries living in Lebanon have to show the required documents to get vaccinated under this programme.

The writer is an expatriate Bangladeshi journalist living in Lebanon.