Emergency supplies from Bangladesh reach Beirut

Bangladesh has sent “emergency supplies” to Lebanon for the people of Beirut as a token of friendship who are trying to recover from the damage caused by the huge twin explosions.

Bangladesh Airforce carried a C130 full of emergency supplies which reached Beirut on Monday.

It has been planned to bring back stranded Bangladeshi citizens by the same aircraft, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam tweeted on Monday.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said Bangladesh decided to send emergency food like rice, biscuits and other dry foods to Lebanon. “The aircraft will fully be loaded with dry foods.”

Foreign Minister Dr Momen talked to Lebanese Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbe on Wednesday and said Bangladesh stands ready to provide any emergency support to Lebanon.

He expressed gratitude to the government of Lebanon for providing necessary supports including treatment to Bangladeshis who got injured.

At least four Bangladeshi citizens were killed and 21 members of Bangladesh Navy injured in a massive explosion in Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Tuesday.

At least 86 expatriate Bangladeshis were injured in the incident while two more Bangladesh citizens remain missing.

The deceased were identified as Mehdi Hasan Roni, hailed from Brahmanbaria, Mizan from Madaripur, Rezaul from Cumilla and Rasel Miah from Brahmanbaria.

The Embassy also urged all to inform it through its hotline number if they come to know of any more casualties.

Some 1,50,000 Bangladesh nationals work in a number of sectors in Lebanon.

The explosions at the port killed at over 100 people and wounded thousands.

Hospitals were overwhelmed — one that was damaged in the blast had to evacuate all its patients to a nearby field for treatment.

Buildings were damaged for miles around the city, and Beirut’s governor said Wednesday that hundreds of thousands might not be able to return to their homes for two or three months.UNB