DHAKA, June 7: Bangladesh and Turkey have agreed to establish a joint ministerial-level committee on defence and foreign affairs to strengthen bilateral political and strategic cooperation.
The decision was announced after talks between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Dhaka during Fidan’s three-day visit.
According to Bangladesh’s state-run news agency, the two countries will also hold annual consultations involving their foreign and defence ministers to deepen what both sides described as growing strategic relations. Fidan said his visit marked the first step toward elevating Bangladesh-Turkiye ties to a strategic level and conveyed greetings from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Rahman.
The discussions covered a broad range of issues, including the Rohingya refugee crisis, climate change, trade and investment, defence cooperation, joint production initiatives, and regional and international developments. Bangladesh thanked Turkiye for its continued support, particularly Ankara’s backing of Dhaka’s candidate for the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Rahman also extended an invitation to Erdoğan to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time. Both sides expressed interest in expanding cooperation across multiple sectors and strengthening diplomatic engagement.
Earlier, Fidan held bilateral talks with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman. He also travelled to Cox’s Bazar, where he visited camps housing Rohingya refugees displaced from Myanmar.
Fidan arrived in Dhaka on Thursday night as part of an official tour of several East and South Asian countries, with Bangladesh serving as the fourth stop on his regional itinerary.
The visit highlights growing ties between the two nations in diplomacy, security, humanitarian affairs and economic cooperation. (PTI)
