US embassy hands PPE to armed forces

The US Embassy in Dhaka has provided personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Bangladesh Armed Forces Division (AFD) as part of its continued support for Bangladesh's Covid-19 response efforts.

US Ambassador Earl Miller and embassy representatives of the US Military's Indo-Pacific Command handed over the PPE to Lt Gen Md Mahfuzur Rahman on Monday.

This is the sixth in a series of planned PPE distributions from the US to Bangladesh. To date, the US has provided $56.5 million in aid to combat Covid-19 in Bangladesh.

The US-donated equipment delivered on Monday includes surgical masks, washable face masks, hand sanitiser, surgical gloves, HAZMAT suits, and face shields. All of these were purchased from Bangladeshi companies.

AFD personnel are playing a key role in Bangladesh's Covid-19 response, supporting the public and Ministry of Health (MoH) initiatives throughout the country, including the opening of military hospitals to the public in support of Covid-19 treatment, said a statement of the US embassy in Dhaka.