A total of 31,160 people received Covid-19 vaccine jabs on the first day of the nationwide mass vaccination on Sunday.

Of them, 23,857 were male and 7,303 female, said the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) in a press release.

Only 21 of them developed simple side effects like fever, red colour at the place of vaccination etc.

The press release signed by Professor Dr Mizanur Rahman, director of the Management Information System of the DGHS, said 5,071 persons got vaccine shots in Dhaka city. Of them, 3,772 were male and 1,299 female.

A total of 9,334 persons got vaccine jabs in the Dhaka division including the Dhaka city, 1,693 in Mymensingh division, 6,443 in Chattogram division, 3,757 in Rajshahi division, 2,912 in Rangpur division, 3,233 in Khulna division, 1,412 in Barishal division and 2,396 in Sylhet division.

Bangladesh started nationwide vaccination against Covid-19 on Sunday.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque inaugurated the vaccination virtually at the DGHS in Dhaka at around 10:00am before he took the jab at Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital.

"This is a day of joy for us…we've waited for this day," he said, calling on people to get the vaccine.

Education Minister Dipu Moni, Gazipur City mayor Jahangir Alam and former food minister Qamrul Islam joined the health minister via video conference at the health directorate during the inauguration of vaccination drive.