Bangladesh, Türkiye seek stronger ties, sign MoU on diplomatic training

Bangladesh and Türkiye have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in several areas, including investment, workforce mobility and diplomatic training, following a meeting between their foreign ministers in Ankara on Saturday.

The meeting took place at the office of Türkiye’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, who held talks with Bangladesh’s foreign minister Khalilur Rahman on Saturday.

Bangladesh’s foreign adviser to the prime minister, Humayun Kabir, was also present.

This was the first bilateral meeting between the two foreign ministers following the formation of Bangladesh’s newly elected government.

During the discussions, the two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations between Türkiye and Bangladesh.

Khalilur Rahman highlighted the importance of increasing Turkish foreign investment in Bangladesh and pointed to the potential for expanding exports of skilled human resources from Bangladesh to Türkiye, according to a press release.

After the meeting, the two ministers held a joint press briefing in which they reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the longstanding friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest and expressed a shared commitment to supporting peace efforts concerning Gaza Strip.

To enhance institutional cooperation in diplomatic training and capacity building, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding between the Diplomacy Academy of Türkiye and the Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy.

In honour of the visiting Bangladesh delegation, Hakan Fidan hosted an iftar and working dinner, during which the two sides continued discussions on bilateral cooperation and other issues of mutual interest.

Türkiye also reiterated its support for Bangladesh’s candidacy for the presidency of the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Both sides expressed optimism that the outcomes of the meeting would help deepen cooperation and further strengthen the strategic partnership between Bangladesh and Türkiye in the coming years.