In a telephonic conversation, the Maldives President also thanked Sheikh Hasina for her efforts, said PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim.

"Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih called the Prime Minister at 11am," he told UNB.

During the telephonic conversation that lasted for 10 minutes, the Prime Minister assured the Maldives President that Bangladesh will continue cooperation and assistance to the friendly and neighbouring countries during their needs, the press secretary said.

Pleasure to speak on the phone with PM of #Bangladesh, H.E.Sheikh Haseena a short while ago. During our call, I conveyed our gratitude to the government and people of Bangladesh for evacuating Maldivian students and for the generous assistance in our efforts against COVID19.

— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) April 22, 2020

He said both the leaders wished peace, prosperity and progress of the people of the two friendly countries. "Both of them expressed the hope that this type of assistance between the two countries will continue in the future," Ihsanul Karim said.

Bangladesh through its Navy ship sent more than 100 metric tons of food, medicines and medical equipment as assistance from the government of Bangladesh for the Maldives.

As per the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with the Bangladesh High Commission in Male facilitated the dispatch and delivery of the materials to the Maldives in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic cases being detected in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Bangladesh Navy, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Directorate General of Drug Administration, relevant district administration and other authorities concerned of the government as well as some Bangladeshi pharmaceutical companies worked together to gather the assistance materials for the Maldives in a very short time against the backdrop of a challenging phase that Bangladesh itself is passing currently.