Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Monday appreciated Bangladesh government’s efforts in ‘lending a hand’ to Rohingya Muslims.

Ahead of his official visit to Bangladesh, Yildirim at a news conference in Ankara said the visit aims to address regional issues such as Rohingya crisis and enhance relations between the two nations, reports the UNB.

‘Hundreds of thousands of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims were forced to seek refuge in Bangladesh after the violence and massacres they were subjected to. I once more applaud the Bangladeshi government for not leaving them [Rohingya] alone,’ he was quoted by Turkish media, including Anadolu Agency, as saying.

The Turkish Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive here on Monday night on a two-day official visit at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina to discuss Rohingya and other issues.

He asserted Turkey’s determined support and solidarity to the Rohingya people and added: ‘We will have the opportunity to once again underline that we are ready to make all means of contributions at highest level in these difficult times Bangladesh is going through.’

Yildirim also praised the longstanding relations between the two countries and stated that enhancing the ‘economic cooperation’ is on the agenda.

Turkey has been at the forefront of providing aid to Rohingyas and its President Tayyip Erdogan has raised the issue at the UN.

The UN documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings, and disappearances committed by security personnel. In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.

Some 655,000 Rohingyas have crossed from Myanmar into Bangladesh since August 25 amid persecution by its military.