Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen has written a letter to United States secretary of state Antony J Blinken, expressing his deep sadness over the loss of lives and destruction of properties caused by a catastrophic wildfire in the Hawaiian Island of Maui, USA.

‘I convey our deep condolences and heartfelt sympathy to you and through you to the families of the victims and all those affected by this natural disaster. We wish the injured early recovery and pray for the salvation of the departed souls,’ Momen said in the letter.

He said that the tragic incident of Maui reminds us of the extent of devastation induced by climate change and the importance of disaster preparedness and risk reductions during such calamities.

‘We, the government and the people of Bangladesh, stand by you and the people of America in support and solidarity in the challenging time,’ the foreign minister added.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Muhammad Imran handed over the letter to US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu at the State Department on August 16, said the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington.