Rescue Efforts: Bangladesh sends team to Turkey

A 46-member rescue team left Dhaka last night for Turkey to join the search and rescue operation in the aftermath of Monday's earthquake.

The team includes 24 members from the Bangladesh Army, 10 medical professionals, and 12 personnel from the Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Lt Col Md Ruhul Amin, of the Bangladesh Army, will be in charge of the team, read a press release of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The team will return to Dhaka on February 15, added the release.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given instructions to Bangladesh Armed Forces to send a teamto Turkey.

A 7.8 magnitude quake claimed over 11,700 lives till yesterday.

A special flight, C-130J aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force, will operate on the Dhaka-Ankara-Dhaka route to carry the post-earthquake emergency relief and medical supplies to Turkey.

Meanwhile, the government has declared one day of state mourning for today marking the deaths in the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

The Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification in this regard yesterday.