NN ONLINE:
Bangladesh and Turkey are set to convene their fourth Foreign Secretary-level meeting in Dhaka on October 7, with goals to deepen political, economic, and defence ties as they push to broaden their strategic partnership. The talks, the first since a five-year pause, will be held at the State Guest House Padma, signaling renewed diplomatic engagement after Bangladesh’s political transition in August 2024. The meeting also positions Turkey as the third country, following India and Pakistan, to hold top-tier bilateral discussions with Bangladesh’s interim government.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam will head the Bangladeshi delegation, while Turkey will be represented by Deputy Foreign Minister A. Beris Ekinci. Ekinci arrives in Dhaka on October 6 for a two-day visit and is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain, and Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan.
Diplomatic sources indicate that the talks will focus on three main pillars: strengthening political coordination, expanding trade and investment, and elevating defence cooperation from collaboration to a strategic partnership.
Current bilateral trade stands at about $1 billion, with Bangladesh seeking to grow exports in textiles, pharmaceuticals, jute goods, and agro-products. Dhaka is also expected to invite Turkish investment in energy, logistics, and technology. Defence cooperation is likely to feature prominently, following a string of high-level visits this year. In January, Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat visited Dhaka to explore joint defence production, and later, during the Anatolia Diplomacy Forum and Defence Industry Agency chief Haluk Görgün’s visit, Ankara reiterated support for Bangladesh’s local defence manufacturing ambitions.
Ekinci is also anticipated to meet leaders from the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party, reflecting Ankara’s effort to cultivate broad-based political goodwill in Dhaka. The talks will address regional connectivity, energy cooperation, and coordination in multilateral forums such as the UN and OIC. An inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Secretary Nazrul Islam last month helped finalize Dhaka’s agenda, ensuring a unified government approach to the high-stakes dialogue.
