Vaccinating workers top priority for govt: Minister 

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi MP said the government is giving the highest priority to vaccinating factory workers.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Walmart Vice President Paul Dyke at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Wednesday.

Tipu Munshi said that the government and the factory owners were working hand in hand to vaccinate the RMG workers each day. 

"The government hopes to vaccinate 5 million workers in the RMG sector within a month and a half," he added. 

He also expressed hope that in the next six months, more than 60% of the total population of Bangladesh will be vaccinated.

Paul Dyke said that with the improvement of the Covid-19 situation in the US, Walmart is now ready to explore and source more from abroad. 

Apart from the ready-made garment products, the minister encouraged Walmart to buy leather goods, pharmaceuticals, light engineering items including bicycles, and plastic products from Bangladesh.  

Over the luncheon roundtable, Chairman of Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation Syed Mahmudul Huq highlighted the need to position the black tiger breed as a premium shrimp in the US market by ensuring that modern production capabilities are in place and that overseas markets' food safety and traceability requirements are consistently met. 

The meeting highlighted the need for retaining long-term demand of Bangladeshi tiger shrimps by ensuring that our aquaculture products are third-party certified as being responsibly produced. 

Among others, Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA M Shahidul Islam, Senior Adviser of McLarty Associates Ambassador Teresita Schaffer, Senior Director of Walmart Sarah Thorn, and other officers from Commerce Ministry and Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington DC were present at the meeting.
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Commerce Minister led the Bangladesh delegation to the Magic Las Vegas 2021 trade show and made a brief stopover at Washington DC to participate in the roundtable.