A 12-member team of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence left for Turkey on Wednesday night to join the search and rescue efforts there in the aftermath of devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, reports UNB.

The expert team, including one deputy director, two assistant directors, one deputy assistant director, one senior station officer, one leader and six firefighters, left Dhaka by an Air Force aircraft, said a press release here.

The premier issued the directives to the Bangladesh Armed Forces for sending a combined aid team to Turkey as Turkish government sought international cooperation for rescue operations, following two devastating earthquakes of 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude.  

The team, ready to fly for Turkey, received training on search and rescue operations in ruined buildings as per the standard of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), the release said.

FSCD Director General Brigadier General Md Main Uddin said, We feel honored for adding the Fire Service with the combined rescue team drawn up at the directives of honorable Prime Minister. This is the first ever that a 12-member team of the Fire Service is going to join overseas rescue operations in the international arena.

Earlier, a five-member delegation of the Fire Service went to Nepal after 2015 earthquake as observer.