Bangladesh's drug regulator has authorized the emergency use of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

Major General Mahbubur Rahman, director general of Bangladesh's Directorate General of Drug Administration, made the announcement at a press conference on Thursday in the capital Dhaka.

"We've issued emergency use approval for the Chinese-made jab."

Mahbubur Rahman further said that hopefully within 1-1.5 weeks, Bangladesh will receive a batch of Sinopharm vaccine.