PM Invites Turkish President Erdogan to Dhaka as Ties Elevate to Strategic Level

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday extended a formal invitation to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time, signaling a major push to deepen ties between the two nations.

The premier extended the invitation during a high-profile courtesy call by visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the city's Tejgaon area on Saturday afternoon, according to an official press release. 

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman warmly thanked Foreign Minister Fidan for undertaking the official visit.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Fidan conveyed the personal greetings of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. 

He emphasized that his arrival in Dhaka marks the critical first step toward elevating the long-standing relationship between Bangladesh and Türkiye to a comprehensive strategic level.

To institutionalize this enhanced partnership, both sides reached an agreement to hold regular Annual Foreign Office Consultations led directly by their respective foreign ministers. 

Furthermore, a major breakthrough was achieved with the decision to launch annual "2+2" consultations, a high-level framework that will routinely involve the foreign and defense ministers of both nations.

Aiming to aggressively strengthen political, economic, and strategic cooperation, both leaders also decided to establish a dedicated consultation mechanism in the form of a joint committee. 

Operating under the respective foreign ministers, this committee will actively engage the concerned ministries from each side to streamline bilateral initiatives.

The state meeting reviewed the entire spectrum of existing bilateral relations. 

Detailed discussions focused on the protracted Rohingya refugee crisis, the escalating challenges of global climate change, trade and investment expansions, joint production opportunities and various regional and international matters of mutual interest.

The high-level Bangladeshi delegation present at the strategic meeting included Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman, State Minister Shama Obaed Islam, and Prime Minister's Adviser for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir.