Bangladesh airlifts emergency aid to earthquake-affected Afghanistan

Bangladesh has dispatched 11 tons of emergency humanitarian aid to Afghanistan following a series of devastating earthquakes that left thousands dead and injured, and widespread destruction across the country.

A Bangladesh Air Force aircraft carrying the relief materials departed from the Sena Niwas airbase at 8:00am on Friday (September 5).

The consignment includes blankets, winter clothing, drinking water, dry food, essential medicines, and other supplies. A 16-member delegation also accompanied the mission to assist with the relief handover and support operations on the ground.

Brigadier General Md Alimul Amin, director general of operations and planning at the Office of the Chief Adviser, said the initiative came directly under the instructions of the Chief Adviser, as part of Bangladesh’s commitment to global humanitarian assistance.

“The government is providing urgent humanitarian support to Afghanistan to help alleviate the suffering caused by the recent earthquake. This aid is a reflection of our solidarity with the Afghan people in their time of need,” Brig Gen Amin said.

The delegation comprises representatives from the Armed Forces Division, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and 14 members of the Bangladesh Air Force.

This relief effort is a coordinated initiative involving the Office of the Chief Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Ministry of Health, Armed Forces Division, BGMEA, Essential Drugs Company Ltd, and PRAN-RFL Group.

On August 31, a powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, resulting in over 2,000 deaths, 3,500 injuries, and the destruction of more than 8,000 homes. A second tremor of the same magnitude struck Nangarhar province and nearby regions last Thursday night, compounding the devastation.

Bangladesh had also extended humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan following a deadly earthquake in 2022, reaffirming its continued commitment to global disaster response efforts.