FTA, investment in textiles, defence industry figure high

Bangladesh and Türkiye intensify efforts to deepen economic and strategic ties with focus on a possible free-trade agreement, increased Turkish investment in sectors like defence industry and textiles.

The accord featured talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries in Dhaka on Friday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who arrived in Dhaka on Thursday night, had bilateral talks with Bangladesh's Foreign Minister, Dr Khalilur Rahman, on Friday.

Both the ministers addressed a joint press conference after the meeting, briefing what transpired at the talks.

The meeting underscored a growing momentum in relations between the two countries, which have sought to broaden cooperation beyond traditional diplomatic engagement into trade, investment, technology transfer and regional security.

"We discussed the possibility of a Free-Trade Agreement and, alternatively, a Preferential Trade Agreement," Rahman said, describing economic cooperation as a key pillar of Bangladesh's foreign policy under the government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

The host foreign minister said both sides agreed that bilateral trade remained well below its potential despite steady growth in recent years. Current annual trade stands at approximately $1.3 billion, and both governments expressed a desire to raise that figure to $2.0 billion.

As part of that effort, Dhaka invited Turkish businesses to invest in Bangladesh's private and special economic zones and offered support for establishing a dedicated Turkish special economic zone in the country.

Rahman highlighted numerous sectors like textiles and apparel, defence manufacturing, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, renewable energy, information technology and smart technologies as areas where Turkish investment could play a transformative role.

The emphasis on defence cooperation reflected a broader strategic convergence between the two countries. Fidan notes that there are significant opportunities to enhance collaboration in multiple sectors, "particularly in the defence industry", as both sides seek to diversify their partnerships amid shifting regional and global dynamics.

"We are continuing our efforts to deepen our long-standing partnership across a broad spectrum and elevate it to a much stronger and more visionary level on solid foundations," says the Turkish foreign minister.

The visit takes place amid a series of high-level exchanges between Dhaka and Ankara. Rahman travelled to Türkiye in March on his first bilateral foreign visit after assuming office and later attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Officials from both countries have described the growing frequency of ministerial visits as evidence of a shared commitment to strengthening ties.

Bangladesh also sought greater cooperation from Turkish institutions, including the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), to facilitate investment, industrial partnerships and technology transfer.

Among the proposals raised during the talks is the establishment of an international-standard hospital and nursing institute in Dhaka with Turkish support. Bangladesh indicated that it would be willing to provide land or infrastructure on concessional terms for such a project.

The two sides also discussed expanding educational cooperation. Rahman requested additional scholarships for Bangladeshi students and called for easier visa procedures to facilitate people-to-people exchanges, tourism, business travel and academic collaboration. Around 3,000 Bangladeshi nationals currently reside in Türkiye, the majority of them students.

Alongside economic issues, the ministers discussed regional and global developments, including the Rohingya crisis, conflicts in the Middle East and cooperation within international organisations.

Fidan praised Bangladesh's hosting of more than one million Rohingya refugees, describing it as a "historic sacrifice on behalf of all humanity".

He reaffirmed Türkiye's support for safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of the displaced population to Myanmar and later travelled with Rahman to Cox's Bazar to visit refugee camps and Turkish-supported humanitarian facilities.

The Turkish minister also congratulated Rahman on his recent election as president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, calling it a reflection of the international community's respect for Bangladesh and expressing confidence that he would contribute significantly to global peace and stability.

The talks conclude with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in cultural heritage protection, signalling the two countries' intention to expand collaboration beyond economics and diplomacy into cultural and educational fields.

Officials from both sides said the discussions reflected a shared ambition to elevate Bangladesh-Türkiye relations to a more strategic level, with trade, investment and defence cooperation emerging as the principal drivers of the partnership's next phase.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com