Türkiye to provide free medical care to Bangladeshis injured in July's student protests

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - Türkiye will provide free medical care to seven Bangladeshi people who were injured in student protests in July and August this year.

The Turkish government took this decision in response to the request of Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Türkiye will provide the treatment by bringing them into the country.

At least 775 people were killed and over 22,000 injured, many with serious bullet wounds to their heads, losing their hands, legs, and eyes in the protests, according to Bangladesh's Health Ministry.

The protests ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government on Aug. 5. Since then, Hasina and some of her associates have been staying in neighboring India.

After the current transitional government took office led by Muhammad Yunus on Aug. 8, Foreign Affairs Adviser Ambassador Md. Touhid Hossain and Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin met with Turkish Ambassador to Dhaka Ramis Sen and requested better treatment for some critically injured people in the protests.

On Aug. 27, in a phone conversation with Chief Adviser Yunus, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his interest in cooperating with the transitional government's reform efforts.

Later, a Turkish government delegation visited Bangladesh from Oct. 13 to 15.

The delegation held meetings with the relevant ministries and agencies of Bangladesh to discuss possible cooperation in the reform activities undertaken by the transitional government in various fields, including the electoral system and the financial sector.