Hasina offers Nepal medical support for survivors in US-Bangla plane crash in Kathmandu

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a video message has extended emergency support to Nepal especially in treating the survivors of the crash of a Bangladeshi plane in Kathmandu.

Sumon Mahbub from Singaporebdnews24.com
Published : 12 March 2018, 07:40 PM
Updated : 12 March 2018, 07:40 PM

At least 49 of the 71 aboard Flight BS 211 of US-Bangla Airlines died in the crash on Monday. Thirty-two passengers and all the four crew members are Bangladeshis. 

Hasina went to Singapore on a four-day visit to the city-state on Sunday but will return home on Tuesday cutting short the trip after hearing the news of the crash.

She spoke to her Nepalese counterpart Khadga Prasad Oli over the phone from Singapore. She condoled the deaths in the accident and wished early recovery of the injured.

And later, she reiterated her support in a video message from Singapore.

“I am very much shocked at the incident,” she said at the beginning of the message.

“We will do whatever necessary. I’ve also told this to the honourable prime minister of Nepal. We are and always will be by the side of Nepal in the rescue operation or treatment of the injured,” she said.    

The passengers included Bangladeshis, Nepali, a Chinese and a Maldivian, she mentioned.

She also said she learnt that the injured were being treated at five hospitals on Nepal.

There is a military camp near the accident site, and so the Nepalese Army could immediately launch the rescue operation, Hasina said.

She added that the Bangladesh Ambassador in Nepal, Mashfee Binte Shams, also rushed to the site.

The chiefs of the three forces and the officers of the Prime Minister’s Officers are communicating with Nepal over what help they can provide, Hasina said and added that the foreign ministry also continued communication.