Bangladesh is sending a medical team with emergency medicine and food supplies to Lebanon as the fatalities from the massive explosion in the capital Beirut continue to rise.

The foreign ministry on Thursday confirmed that four Bangladeshi nationals were identified among the deceased so far.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momem talked with his Lebanese counterpart Charbel Wehbe and informed him about the medical team.

He also expressed Bangladesh’s readiness to provide any emergency support to Lebanon in this time of crisis.

Tuesday’s blast killed at least 137 people and injured about 5,000 others, while dozens are still missing. A two-week state of emergency has begun.

 Apart from the four deceased, around 100 Bangladeshis, including 21 Navy personnel who are on duty at Beirut port under UN peacekeeping mission, were injured in the explosion.

 The Bangladeshi deceased have been identified as Mehedi Hasan Roni and Rasel Miah from Brahmmanbaria, Mizan from Madaripur and Rezaul from Cumilla.

 Lebanese President Michel Aoun said the blast was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely in a warehouse.

 The Bangladesh foreign minister conveyed Dhaka’s deep condolence and also expressed gratitude to the Lebanese government for providing all cooperation, including treatment for the injured Bangladeshi nationals.

 One of the injured Navy personnel was admitted to American University of Beirut Medical Centre in a critical condition, while others were taken to Hamoud Hospital by helicopter or ambulance under the supervision of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

 The injured navy personnel are crew members of Bangladesh Navy’s battleship ‘BN Bijoy’, which was also damaged by the blast.

 The BN Bijoy, anchored only 200 yards from the blast scene, has been actively engaged in counterterrorism, rescue and surveillance operations and providing training to Lebanese Navy as part of the UNIFIL activities.