COVID-19: Turkey delivers medical aid to Bangladesh

By Md. Kamruzzaman

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - Turkey’s state-run aid agency on Sunday delivered medical supplies to Bangladesh in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

“TIKA [Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency] provided one thousand N95 masks, one thousand PPE suits, two ventilators and five thousand medical masks to support Bangladesh in fighting COVID-19,” the Turkish Embassy in Dhaka said in a statement.

Additional Foreign Secretary Khalilur Rahman received the aid, while Turkish Ambassador in Dhaka Mustafa Osman Turan and TIKA’s Bangladesh Coordinator Ismail Gundogdu attended the handover ceremony in capital Dhaka.

Bangladeshi authorities will distribute the equipment to the country's relevant health institutions in the coming days, the statement said.

Referring to the gradual deterioration of the situation in Bangladesh, it said: “We are glad to be able to support Bangladesh in these difficult times caused by COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Bilateral relations between our fraternal countries have undoubtedly taken a step further after today’s handover ceremony,” the statement added.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Turan said all nations should act in solidarity amid the pandemic. “Turkey is pleased to provide a much-needed medical assistance to Bangladesh in line with the longstanding close ties between our countries.”

Gundogdu said TIKA will continue to “support the people of sister country Bangladesh to face the COVID-19 challenges”.

Since 2014, TIKA has completed many projects in Bangladesh, he added.

In April and May, the Turkish embassy, with the contribution of Turkish institutions present in Bangladesh, distributed 4,000 food packages to underprivileged families in Dhaka and Chittagong.

On May 13, TIKA also distributed 1,000 dry food packages in Cox’s Bazar, southern Bangladesh.

Besides, the agency distributed 5,000 food packages and 5,000 personal care packages to the Rohingya refugees in April and May during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.