Bangladesh pledges to boost trade, relations with Türkiye

By Md. Kamruzzaman

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Bangladesh is committed to promoting the already established fraternal ties with Türkiye in the future, a senior cabinet member of Bangladesh said.

Addressing an event on the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Türkiye in the capital Dhaka Saturday night, Bangladesh’s Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md. Tajul Islam said: “The two moderate Muslim nations have very good relations with all other countries across the world and both can contribute not only to mutual benefits but to the world’s peace and stability.”

The minister asked Turkish investors to invest in the booming sectors of Bangladesh like the readymade garment industry, information communications technology, and agriculture.

He added that while the world was reeling from the global coronavirus pandemic, the war between Russia and Ukraine further complicated the situation.

“In such a critical situation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan played a good role and tried to mitigate the problem through bilateral and multilateral discussions,” Islam said, praising the Turkish role in the global arena.

Hosted by the Turkish Embassy, the program was also attended by Bangladesh’s State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, and some former ministers.

Envoys from different countries and other top officials were also present at the function which concluded with a colorful cultural performance and traditional Turkish food.

Welcoming the participants at the program, Turkish Ambassador Mustafa Osman Turan said that bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Türkiye is booming while the people-to-people connectivity is also growing.

“The trade between Türkiye and Bangladesh is expected to reach $1.5 billion in the year 2022,” Turan said.

He said Turkish investors had already recognized Bangladesh as a land of opportunities, and decided to expand their investments in key sectors of the economy such as energy, consumer goods, and ready-made garments.

Underlining the Turkish historic city of Istanbul as one of the top destinations for Bangladeshi tourists, he added that Turkish Airlines has increased the number of flights to 14 a week.

Hailing the strong cultural bond between the two nations, Turan said: “Turkish TV dramas are being watched by millions of people in Bangladesh.”

Referring to the background of historic ties between Dhaka and Ankara, he added: “Our shared values date back to the times of Hazrat Shah Jalal (one of the top Muslim and spiritual leaders in Bangladesh). Shah Jalal's mother was from Konya, a Turkish city where Sufi mystic poet Mevlana Jalaluddin al-Rumi lived and died.”