Bangladesh and Türkiye have agreed to strengthen strategic cooperation, expand bilateral trade and investment, and explore a potential Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) as both countries seek to elevate their long-standing partnership.
The commitment was reaffirmed during bilateral discussions between Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Dhaka.
Both sides described the visit as an important milestone in bilateral relations and emphasized their shared intention to unlock new opportunities in trade, investment, technology, industrial development, and regional cooperation.
Economic collaboration featured prominently in the discussions, with Bangladesh and Türkiye exploring the possibility of an FTA or PTA to further enhance commercial ties. Bilateral trade currently stands at approximately $1.3 billion, with both governments aiming to increase the figure to $2 billion in the coming years.
Bangladesh invited Turkish businesses to take advantage of investment opportunities available in its economic zones and proposed the establishment of a dedicated Turkish Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Authorities also encouraged greater involvement from Turkish development and business institutions in industrial partnerships and investment initiatives.
Several sectors were identified as having strong potential for Turkish investment, including textiles and apparel, pharmaceuticals, shipbuilding, infrastructure, renewable energy, information and communication technology (ICT), smart technologies, and defense manufacturing.
The discussions also covered education, healthcare, tourism, and people-to-people connectivity. Bangladesh requested expanded scholarship opportunities for students and easier visa procedures to facilitate business travel, tourism, and cultural exchanges.
Türkiye reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening relations with Bangladesh and highlighted opportunities for collaboration in trade, technology, investment, and industrial development. Turkish officials also reiterated support for Bangladesh on humanitarian issues, including continued cooperation regarding the Rohingya crisis.
Officials from both countries expressed optimism that the visit would create new momentum for deeper economic engagement and a stronger strategic partnership in the years ahead.
