Bangladesh calls for more Turkish investment

By Md. Kamruzzaman

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - Bangladesh's Finance Minister called on Turkey to invest in his country’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs), according to a press release from the ministry.

The statement said Mustafa Kamal welcomed the "positive response of Turkish investment in several sectors including electronics, medicine, gas", while speaking at the fifth Bangladesh-Turkey Joint Economic Commission meeting in Ankara on Tuesday.

Kamal called on Turkey to invest more in his country, underlining that Dhaka was ready to provide all manner of support, including space in Bangladeshi SEZs.

The three-day joint meeting had 15 targets, including bolstering trade and investment between the two Muslim countries, according to the statement.

The Bangladeshi delegation pointed out various sectors suitable for Turkish investment including science and technology, information technology, ship building, agriculture, education, climate change mitigation, tourism, energy and textiles.

Following the joint commission meeting, Kamal met with Turkey's Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop, where the former highlighted Bangladesh's overall progress.

- Refugees

Kamal lauded Turkey for its role in hosting around four million Syrian refugees, setting an example to the world in serving humanity, and added that Bangladesh also set such an example hosting over one million Rohingya refugees who fled military crackdown in Myanmar.

He also urged Turkey to help for the peaceful repatriation of Rohingya to Myanmar in the fastest possible time.

Kamal stated that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should be awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize as they made a history of humanity by sheltering huge numbers of refugees.