0
Bangladesh and Turkey have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the defence industry, expand trade and investment, and further advance their strategic partnership. Concurrently, discussions were held with the aim of increasing the current bilateral trade volume of $1.3 billion to $2 billion.
The bilateral meeting between Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman and Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan took place on Friday (June 5) at the Hotel InterContinental in the capital. Both ministers shared these details at a joint press conference held after the meeting.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that there are opportunities for joint ventures in the defence industries of both countries, and discussions on this matter have already taken place. He highlighted the importance of his visit to Bangladesh, noting it as his final visit to the Asia-Pacific region.
During the meeting, discussions also covered raising bilateral trade to $2 billion, a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). Additionally, Turkey was invited to invest in special economic zones and private economic zones in Bangladesh to boost Turkish investment. Bangladesh even proposed establishing a separate special economic zone specifically for Turkey.
The Bangladeshi side highlighted cooperation possibilities in various sectors, including textile industry, defence manufacturing, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, ICT, and civil aviation. A proposal was also made to establish an international standard hospital and nursing institute in Dhaka. Furthermore, a request was made to increase scholarships for Bangladeshi students.
Regarding the Rohingya crisis, Turkey praised Bangladesh’s humanitarian role and reiterated its support for repatriation. Hakan Fidan announced that he would visit the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar to observe the activities of various Turkish humanitarian organizations there.
Furthermore, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries on the preservation of cultural heritage. Both sides also discussed regional and global issues, including the situation in the Middle East and the Gaza crisis. Both countries expressed hope that this visit would elevate Bangladesh-Turkey relations to a more strategic level.