Turkey Evacuates 4 COVID-19 Patients From Bangladesh

Turkey on Sunday evacuated four COVID-19 patients including an expat from Bangladesh, officials said.

"Tuba Ahsan, a Turkish citizen, her Bangladeshi husband Mossaddique Ahsan and their three-year-old twins Huma and Ziyad were evacuated in an air ambulance," a statement by the Turkish Embassy in Dhaka read.

The air ambulance was arranged by Turkey's Ministry of Health.

Mustafa Osman Turan, Turkish ambassador to Bangladesh, and deputy head of mission Enis Faruk Erdem were present at the Dhaka airport during the departure.

"Turkey is providing free-of-charge air ambulance service to its citizens present in any part of the world since 2008," said Turan.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, he added, this year Turkey evacuated 211 of its nationals from across the world by air ambulances due to their emergency health conditions.

"Even during Eid holidays, which began in Turkey today [Sunday], these services will continue unabated," he said, adding that they are available for any Turkish national who is unable to receive the necessary virus treatment due to any reason.

Earlier on April 21, as many as 154 Turkish nationals left Bangladesh on a Turkish Airlines chartered flight. -