Bangladesh urged China to send an expert medical team to help treat coronavirus patients and train Bangladeshi medical professionals.

Bangladesh foreign minister Dr A K Abdul Momen made the request during a telephone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Tuesday, a foreign office press release said here today (April 8).

They discussed the possibility of bringing an expert team of technicians from China to support ‘Sheikh Russel Gastro-liver Institute and Hospital’ which has been declared a dedicated facility in Dhaka for foreign patients.

He also discussed the possibility of importing ventilation machines from China during this critical moment of the coronavirus outbreak in Bangladesh.

Momen also requested the Chinese foreign minister to consider deferral of payments against all Back-to-Back Letter-of-Credits (LC) opened in favour of Chinese suppliers for one year.

The Chinese foreign minister responded positively and assured him of their full support to Bangladesh.

Besides, when Momen requested his counterpart to help early repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar as promised, Wang Yi assured to extend Chinese support to that end.

The Chinese foreign minister expressed gratitude and thanks to the Bangladesh government for its ‘valued contribution’ of masks, hand sanitizers, hand gloves during the critical moments of coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan city and other parts of China.

In exchange, Momen too expressed gratitude to the Chinese government as well as ‘Jack Ma Foundation’ and ‘Alibaba Foundation’ for their contribution of coronavirus testing kits, personal protection equipment (PPE) and infrared thermometer.

In Bangladesh, 218 people have been infected in the coronavirus, 20 patients died and 33 patients have recovered from the disease till Wednesday (April 8).