In pursuance of Bangladesh’s commitment to global peace and humanitarian assistance to disaster-afflicted humanity, and also in solidarity with the earth-quake- affected people of the Syrian Arab Republic, the government of Bangladesh dispatched a transport aircraft from Bangabandhu Air Base, Dhaka to Damascus, Syria by special flight No. C- 130 J at local time 1030 pm yesterday (10 February 2023).
The directives of dispatching a special aircraft with relief goods to Syria came from the Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in view of the fatal earthquake that hit the border of Turkey and Syria on 06 February 2023 causing a death toll of exceeding 20000 and thousands of casualties. The special flight included a rescue team of 17 members from Bangladesh Air forces and relief goods and essential medicine. The humanitarian assistance contained 11 metric tons of relief goods which included dry cakes (1110 KG), digestive biscuits (556 KG), medicine (930 KG), blankets (1380 KG), tents (4423 KG) and winter clothes, sweaters (1390 KG). The flight is scheduled to return to Dhaka on 13 February 2023 after handing over the relief goods to the local authority in Syria.
Earlier on 08 February 2023, Bangladesh Air Force dispatched a similar special flight with relief goods and two medical teams and a rescue team with a total of 61 members to Turkey. The team, in addition to distributing relief works, are contributing to rescue efforts in consonance with Turkish national rescue activities.
The Honourable President, Honourable Prime Minister and Honourable Foreign Minister issued separate condolence messages to the Syrian President, Foreign Minister and the bereaved people of Syria. As a longstanding friend of the Syrian Arab Republic, the condolence messages conveyed, profound shocks and sympathies to the victims of the earthquakes and the wounded from the government and people of Bangladesh and expressed full solidarity with the brotherly people of Syria at this critical hour. Similar condolence massages were also issued to the Turkish government and people expressing sympathies and early recovery.