Bangladesh is observing one-day state mourning on Thursday over the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, claiming so far 15,383 lives.
In observance of the mourning day, the national flag is 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.
Special prayers will be offered at all religious institutions across the country, seeking eternal peace for the departed souls.
Read more: 46-member rescue team leave Dhaka for Turkey
Bangladesh Cabinet Division on Wednesday issued a gazette notification, saying, “The government decided that one-day state mourning will be observed in Bangladesh on Thursday (February 9, 2023) at the deaths of Turkish and Syrian citizens in the recent earthquake".
However, CNN reported that the death toll in Turkey surged by more than 3,000 in a matter of hours and is now at 12,391, according to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency on Thursday.
The total number of deaths in Syria is at least 2,992, including 1,730 in rebel-held areas in the northwest, according to the "White Helmets" civil defense group, as well as an additional 1,262 deaths in government-controlled parts of Syria, according to Syrian state media.