Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his Tejgaon office in Dhaka on Monday. During their meeting, they discussed ways to deepen trade, economic, and defense cooperation between the two countries, address the Rohingya crisis, and promote increased student exchanges between the two Muslim-majority nations.
Chief Adviser Yunus expressed appreciation for Turkey's humanitarian response to the recent floods in Bangladesh, its continued assistance to Rohingya refugees in the southeast, and the visit of a Turkish official delegation aimed at enhancing trade and business ties.
He invited more Turkish investment in Bangladesh, stating that Dhaka is now ready for business and both nations should explore the full potential of their relationship.
"We should make a concerted effort," he emphasised. Additionally, he extended an invitation to the Turkish president and first lady to visit Bangladesh at an appropriate time.
Ambassador Sen thanked Bangladesh for its solidarity with the earthquake victims in Turkey last year, particularly for sending approximately 10,000 tents. He conveyed Ankara's invitation for Bangladesh to participate in the upcoming World Halal Summit and a ministerial-level meeting in Istanbul.
Sen noted that a Turkish official delegation is currently visiting Bangladesh to explore new business and trade opportunities and to support reform initiatives of the interim government. "We want to deepen trade and economic ties," he stated.
He also mentioned that another Turkish team had recently traveled to Bangladesh to provide humanitarian aid to flood victims in the districts of Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, and Cumilla.
The Turkish ambassador highlighted that bilateral trade between the two nations currently stands at $1.1 billion but emphasized the significant potential to scale up exports from both countries. He reiterated the importance of a high-level business delegation visiting Turkey to engage with Turkish business leaders and officials, and announced that the Turkish Trade Minister is scheduled to visit Bangladesh in December this year.
