Turkey’s Republic Day celebrated in Bangladesh with promise to boost ties

By Md. Kamruzzaman

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - The 98th anniversary of Turkey’s Republic Day was celebrated Friday in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, with commitments from both countries to boost economic and cultural ties in the coming days.

With proper maintenance of the prevailing coronavirus pandemic health guidelines, the Turkish Embassy in Dhaka held a commemoration with envoys from different embassies, businessmen, politicians and officials from the Bangladeshi government attending.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam said fraternal ties between Bangladesh and Turkey are hundreds of years old.

“A great number of Turkish people have been settled in Bengal from the 13th century. So the relations between the two countries dated long back and are established on faith, tradition, mutual trust and confidence,” said Alam.

Referring to the two streets in Dhaka and Ankara after Bangabandhu Seikh Mujibur Rahman and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, respectively, as a symbol of deep-rooted friendship, he said brotherly ties in recent years have deepened trade and investment, culture, education, counter-terrorism and international cooperation.

He said growing interaction among political leaders, business persons, entrepreneurs, scholars, artists and researchers of the two countries have been well-matched and would continue to “rise and widen with tangible outcomes for the benefits of people of both countries” in the future.

Claiming Bangladesh’s socio-economic scenario as a “safe haven” for foreign investors in South Asia, he urged global communities, including Turkey, to invest in EPZs (Export Processing Zones) including 100 exclusive economic zones.

Welcoming Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s target to boost bilateral trade with Bangladesh to $2 billion, Alam said both countries are “committed to attaining the target.”

Ensuring a business-friendly environment and facilities to Turkish investors, Alam said Turkish investors may invest in different private and public partnership economic zones, private economic zones and especially in the exclusive economic zones, hi-tech parks and tourism sector.

Saying that Bangladesh would provide special incentives for foreign investors, he offered Turkey to “establish a dedicated special economic zone in Bangladesh”.

The state minister also expressed gratitude to Turkey for its wholehearted cooperation with Bangladesh with the Rohingya crisis from the very beginning and urged it to continue. “We expect that Turkey will continue its strong support in the peaceful and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya to their home country of Myanmar.”

Turkish envoy Mustafa Osman Turan said Turkey would never forget the “helping hand of Bengali brothers and sisters” during the country’s most difficult times.

Referring to the prospect of trade between Turkey and Bangladesh, Turan added: “Our economic development trajectories bode well for a promising future. We will be stronger in every field if we develop our partnership further on this solid foundation.”

He added that despite the global pandemic, trade between Turkey and Bangladesh was booming and “expected to reach $1.2 billion in 2021”.

“Turkish investors have already recognized Bangladesh as a land of opportunities, and begun to invest in key sectors of the economy such as energy, consumer goods and RMG (readymade garments),” he said, adding that Turkish Airlines have increased the number of their flights to 12 per week.

Turan also recited a message from Erdogan for Republic Day.

Ataturk officially declared the name of the nation on Oct. 29, 1923, and proclaimed the country's status as a republic.