MM Rahmatullah: Bangladesh and Türkiye have agreed to deepen their bilateral relations and elevate them to a strategic level through a series of high-level consultation mechanisms aimed at strengthening political, economic, defence and strategic cooperation between the two countries.
The understanding was reached during a meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka on Saturday. The meeting marked the final engagement of Foreign Minister Fidan’s three-day official visit to Bangladesh. During the talks, Fidan conveyed greetings from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Prime Minister Rahman and described his visit as the first step towards taking Bangladesh–Türkiye relations to a strategic partnership level.
To institutionalize bilateral cooperation, both sides agreed to hold Annual Foreign Office Consultations at the level of Foreign Ministers. They also decided to launch annual “2+2” consultations involving the Foreign and Defence Ministers of both countries.
In addition, the two sides agreed to establish a new consultation committee under their respective Foreign Ministers. The committee will include representatives from relevant ministries and will serve as a platform to further enhance cooperation across a broad range of sectors.
The meeting reviewed the entire spectrum of Bangladesh–Türkiye relations, with discussions focusing on the Rohingya crisis, climate change, trade and investment, joint production initiatives, and regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Prime Minister Rahman thanked the Turkish Foreign Minister for undertaking the visit and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Türkiye. He also extended an invitation to President Erdoğan to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time in the near future.
Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed, and the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Humaiun Kobir, were present during the meeting from the Bangladesh side.
The latest developments are expected to open a new chapter in Bangladesh–Türkiye relations, reflecting the growing convergence of interests between the two nations on regional and global issues.