Maldives has received the donation of essential supplies by the Bangladeshi government, extended in assistance to the Maldives’ Covid-19 response efforts.
A Bangladeshi navy boat carrying the shipment weighing 100 tonnes, docked in Malé on Tuesday night and the essentials were handed over to the Maldives government during a special ceremony on Wednesday morning.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Defense and National Security, Mariya Didi, Chief of Defense Force, Major General Abdulla Shamaal as well as the Bangladesh Armed Forces.
Taking to Twitter after the ceremony, FM Shahid expressed his sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, the Government and the navy of Bangladesh for the “generous and timely” assistance towards the country’s fight against the pandemic.
He added that the navy ship in our harbor with food and medical supplies, is a testimony to the “strong bond of brotherhood” between Bangladesh and Maldives.
In addition, Major General Shamaal thanked the Bangladeshi government, people and the Armed Forces for the immense assistance, stating that the military forces of both countries have enjoyed an “amicable and everlasting” friendship for over many decades.
Further, the High Commissioner Designate of Bangladesh, Rear Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan reiterated the support in all efforts of the Government of Maldives to fight against the pandemic.
The free aid includes staple food items, fruits, vegetables as well as essential medicines.
The Bangladeshi government has also provided some medical equipment to be used in the Maldives government’s Covid-19 response efforts, including 20,000 Personal Protective Equipment, 960 protective goggles and 5,000 bottles of hand sanitizer.
This comes at a time 71 Maldivians stranded in Bangladesh and Nepal were evacuated in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives and the Bangladeshi government. They were brought via a flight by the Bangladesh Armed Forces on Monday.
The group that arrived on Monday also includes 10 health professionals from Bangladesh, and the flight departed with a group of undocumented Bangladeshi workers in Maldives.
