Desk Report: Opposition Leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman MP returned to Dhaka on Sunday morning after completing a visit to Turkey and performing Umrah in Saudi Arabia.

He landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:00am, where senior Jamaat leaders welcomed him with a bouquet of flowers.

Those present to receive him included Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer ATM Azharul Islam MP, Central Executive Council member and Dhaka South City Jamaat Ameer Nurul Islam Bulbul MP, and Central Executive Council member and Dhaka North City Jamaat Ameer Mohammad Selim Uddin.

Dr Shafiqur Rahman left Dhaka on October 7 to attend the Second International Conference on Bangladesh Studies at Istanbul University in Turkey as the chief guest.

During his visit, he met Turkish Parliament Speaker Professor Dr Numan Kurtulmuş on October 8. Akif Yilmaz MP, chairman of the Turkey Parliament`s Bangladesh Friendship Group, was also present at the meeting.

The following day, Dr Shafiqur Rahman delivered the keynote address as chief guest at the international conference, which brought together prominent academics, policymakers, diplomats, researchers and representatives of various organisations from Bangladesh, Turkey and other countries.

Discussions at the conference covered Bangladesh`s ongoing reform process, future state-building priorities and opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Bangladesh and Turkey, among other issues.

In his address, the Jamaat chief highlighted the importance of international research, policy dialogue and the exchange of experiences in developing a deeper understanding of Bangladesh and its future.

He also underscored the longstanding historical ties between the peoples of Bangladesh and Turkey.

“Bangladesh-Turkey relations are not a recent development or merely a matter of the past few decades; we share a centuries-old historical relationship with the Turkish people,” he said, expressing optimism that the ties would continue to advance in the future, InshaAllah.

Following his participation in the conference, Dr Shafiqur Rahman travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah before returning to Bangladesh on Sunday.

His visit combined academic and policy discussions on Bangladesh`s future with high-level engagement in Turkey, highlighting the scope for further dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.