Bangladesh is observing a daylong state mourning on Thursday to commiserate the unimaginable loss of lives in a catastrophic earthquake in Turkey and Syria recently.
All government, semi-government and autonomous organisations, educational institutions, government and non-government buildings and Bangladesh missions abroad are keeping the national flags at half-mast, demonstrating condolence.
Special prayers will be arranged for eternal peace of the departed souls.
Earlier, the government issued a gazette in this regard on Wednesday.
With hope fading to find survivors, rescue teams toiled through the night in Turkey and Syria, searching for signs of life in the rubble of thousands of buildings toppled by a catastrophic earthquake.
Officials and medics said 12,391 people had died in Turkey and at least 2,992 in Syria from Monday's 7.8-magnitude tremor, bringing the total to 15,383 -- and experts fear the number will continue to rise sharply.
Bangladesh sent a 46-member rescue team led by the army to Turkey for post-earthquake rescue operations and assistance.
The Bangladeshi rescue team will operate a special flight on the Dhaka-Ankara-Dhaka route to send post-earthquake emergency relief and medical supplies to Turkey.
