Dhaka, Nov. 24 -- The World Bank (WB) has assured Bangladesh of providing US$500 million worth of funds for procuring coronavirus vaccine to be to inoculated all citizens gradually, officials said on Monday.

"The WB in a feedback on our request has recently informed us that it is ready to finance the vaccine procurement," said a senior official of the Economic Relations Division (ERD).

The fund is likely to be provided as an additional financing for the WB-funded ongoing "Covid-19 Emergency Response and Pandemic Preparedness Project".

After detecting the first coronavirus patient in late March, the WB in April provided $100 million worth of funds from the aforesaid project which will help detect, manage and treat suspected and confirme...