Bangladesh will observe one-day state mourning on Thursday over the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday.
A gazette notification was issued on Wednesday, saying, "The government decided that one-day state mourning will be observed in Bangladesh on Thursday at the deaths of Turkish and Syrian citizens in the recent earthquake".
In observance of the mourning day, the national flag will be kept at half-mast at buildings of all government, semi-government and autonomous bodies, and educational institutions along with all government and private buildings, and Bangladesh missions abroad.
More than 9,000 people are now known to have been killed, and in freezing temperatures, the death toll could continue to surge in Turkey and Syria.
The number of people killed in Turkey has risen to 6,957. It is difficult to verify the number in Syria, but its state media and a rescue group say about 2,500 people have died.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
