Nepal, March 20 -- Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the phone today, requesting further efforts for the safe release of Nepali student Bipin Joshi, who was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

During the conversation from Baluwatar, PM Oli urged President Erdogan to take serious steps toward Joshi's release. In response, Erdogan assured that he would take the matter seriously and keep Joshi's family and the Nepali community informed. Earlier, on March 11, PM Oli had also discussed Joshi's release with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in a telephone conversation.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral cooperation in economic and scientific fields. Turkish President Erdogan...