Bangladesh-Türkiye Ties Set for Strategic Boost

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday described his visit to Bangladesh as the “first step” toward elevating bilateral relations to a strategic level.

During a courtesy meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, Fidan conveyed greetings from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman thanked the Turkish foreign minister for the visit and invited President Erdoğan to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time in the near future.

Both sides agreed to hold annual Foreign Office Consultations at the foreign minister level to strengthen diplomatic engagement.

The two countries also decided to introduce annual “2+2” consultations involving the foreign and defence ministers of both sides to deepen strategic and security cooperation.

Additionally, Bangladesh and Türkiye agreed to establish a joint consultation mechanism under their respective foreign ministers to enhance political, economic and strategic collaboration. The mechanism will involve relevant ministries from both countries.

The meeting reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations, with discussions focusing on the Rohingya crisis, climate change, trade and investment, joint production, and regional and international issues of mutual interest.

From the Bangladesh side, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed, and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir attended the meeting.

The meeting marked the final engagement of the Turkish foreign minister’s two-day official visit to Bangladesh.