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Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday said that the government had planned to inoculate children, aged between 12 and 17 years, with Pfizer doses soon.
The minister said they had taken the decision on Pfizer jabs for students from 12 to 17 years of age after a fruitful meeting with the World Health Organization director general in Switzerland where the WHO boss agreed on the government's vaccination plan for kids.
Addressing a press briefing at the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) at Mohakhali, the health minister said they had currently had six million Pfizer doses in their stock while seven million more doses would come soon.
"So, we have no shortage or crisis of vaccines now," he said.
Mr Maleque said the students would have to register themselves for the vaccines using their birth certificates or through the school authorities.
The ICT Division has been asked to facilitate the registration process, said the minister, adding, "The overall process is underway.Vaccination of students will start immediately."
The government plans to vaccinate 1-1.5 million people every day amid the ongoing nationwide inoculation drive and wants to fully vaccinate 80 million of the total population between December and January, said the minister.
"By November, we will have at least 30.75 million doses. Most of the vaccine consignments will arrive in December. We are also hoping to receive nearly 50 million doses in December from China and Covax," said Mr Maleque.
He said Bangladesh would also receive 30.75 million more doses in January.
About 160 million doses will be procured or collected from various sources by January, he added.
On September 12, the students of schools and colleges in Bangladesh returned to their classrooms after an 18-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.