Turkish PM lays wreath, visits hospital in Bangladesh

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim laid a floral wreath at the National Martyrs' Memorial and inaugurated a cancer unit at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital constructed by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim (2nd L) inaugurates the chemotherapy unit established by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 19, 2017.
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Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim (2nd L) inaugurates the chemotherapy unit established by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 19, 2017.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Tuesday paid tribute to those who died during the 1971 Liberation war of Bangladesh, during his two-day official visit.

Yildirim, who arrived in Bangladesh on Monday, laid a floral wreath at the National Martyrs' Memorial in the capital Dhaka.

Stating that it was a “great privilege and honour” for him to be at the monument, Yildirim wrote in the memorial book, “On behalf of the Turkish people and myself, I take this opportunity to commemorate the brave Bengalis, who lost their lives during the War of Independence in 1971.”

“The Turkish people will never forget the support of our Bengali brothers during our War of Independence,” he added.

Yildirim also inaugurated a cancer unit at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital constructed by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

The prime minister on Tuesday also paid his respects to the country’s founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and placed a floral wreath at his portrait at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhaka.

He is scheduled to meet Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to discuss the Rohingya refugee issue as well as bilateral trade and investment.

Rohingya crisis

Yildirim is slated to visit refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border where thousands of Muslim Rohingya, forcibly displaced from Myanmar, have taken shelter following violence since August 25 in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

The Turkish prime minister is also expected to meet senior government officials to discuss efforts underway to deal with the influx of refugees into Bangladesh.

Over 600,000 Rohingya have poured across the border from Myanmar since the security crackdown that began in late August. The UN has called the displacement of the Rohingya ethnic cleansing.

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