Turkey on Friday reaffirmed its commitment to deepening relations with Bangladesh, pledging enhanced cooperation in trade, defence, humanitarian affairs, and regional diplomacy while supporting Dhaka's efforts on the Rohingya crisis and global peace initiatives.
The declaration came during a high-profile visit by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who met with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman in Dhaka to strengthen Bangladesh–Turkey strategic relations and cooperation.
Following their comprehensive bilateral meeting, the two leaders addressed a joint press conference at a hotel in the capital.
"We are continuing our efforts to deepen our long-standing partnership across a broad spectrum and elevate it to a much stronger and more visionary level on solid foundations," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said.
During the briefing, Fidan also warmly congratulated Dr. Rahman on his recent election as the president of the upcoming 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), describing the landmark outcome as a significant demonstration of the international community's respect for Bangladesh.
"Given Bangladesh's active role at the UN and my brother Mr. Rahman's extensive experience, we have no doubt that he will successfully carry out this important duty," Fidan added, assuring Turkey's continued and unyielding support for Bangladesh at the global body.
The Turkish foreign minister recalled Dr. Rahman's recent visits to Turkey, noting that the growing exchange of high-level visits underscores a shared determination between the two nations to deepen relations and explore new avenues of cooperation.
Fidan stated that the two sides held extensive discussions covering bilateral relations, cooperation within international organizations and critical regional and global developments.
On the economic front, the high-level discussions touched upon a potential Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a Preferential Trade Arrangement (PTA).
Both countries are actively exploring initiatives to increase their current bilateral trade volume from USD 1.3 billion to USD 2 billion.
Aiming to significantly boost these bilateral trade and commercial ties, Bangladesh offered a dedicated special economic zone exclusively for Turkish investment.
Fidan also explicitly identified the defence industry as a highly promising area for enhanced cooperation, noting that the two sides reviewed practical ways to strengthen collaboration across various sectors.
On the sidelines of the official visit, Turkey and Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of cultural heritage protection.
Describing Bangladesh as "a strong voice of the Global South" and a country of strategic importance for peace, stability, and security in South Asia, Fidan said the two countries agreed to systematically strengthen cooperation and coordination on international and regional issues.
Turning to the protracted Rohingya humanitarian crisis, the Turkish foreign minister highly commended Dhaka's prolonged humanitarian response and praised Bangladesh for hosting more than one million forcibly displaced Rohingyas, describing the country's role as a historic sacrifice.
"I would like to once again emphasize that Bangladesh, which has been hosting over one million Rohingya for years, has demonstrated a historic sacrifice on behalf of all humanity," Fidan stated, expressing deep appreciation for its extensive efforts to address the issue.
He explicitly extended Turkey's support to Bangladesh to ensure the voluntary, safe, and dignified repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland.
Fidan vowed that Turkey would continue intensive diplomatic efforts to keep the Rohingya issue firmly on the international agenda while maintaining its robust humanitarian assistance.
As part of his ongoing two-day official itinerary, the Turkish foreign minister is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and travel to Cox’s Bazar to observe the situation on the ground inside the refugee camps.
While visiting the camps, he will personally review the humanitarian activities and projects currently being carried out by several Turkish state and non-profit entities, including the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the Turkish Red Crescent, and the Turkish Diyanet Foundation, alongside reviewing the operations of the Turkish Field Hospital currently operating inside the camps.
Beyond bilateral matters, the foreign ministers analyzed broader regional developments.
Fidan warned that escalating conflicts and instability were increasingly affecting global dynamics, expressing deep concern over the growing risk of wider regional confrontations.
Referring to the ongoing talks between Iran and the United States, he welcomed the progress made and expressed hope that the negotiations would produce concrete outcomes leading to lasting peace and stability.
Furthermore, he underscored the critical importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and restoring the pre-war status quo, describing it as vital for global economic, energy, and food security.
Addressing the situation in Gaza, Fidan accused Israel of attempting to derail ceasefire efforts and called on the international community to take a united, decisive stand to end the conflict.
"The international community's priority must be to halt Israel's aggression and eliminate the war environment in the region," he urged.
Concluding his remarks, Fidan emphasized that Turkey would continue working closely with Bangladesh through new initiatives and projects aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in South Asia and beyond.
