Turkish Foreign Minister meets Prime Minister

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, currently on a two-day official visit to Dhaka at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart, held a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday morning, June 6, at the Prime Minister's Office in Tejgaon.

Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Rony confirmed the meeting, stating that discussions focused on various issues of mutual interest between the two countries.

The meeting marked the culmination of Fidan's visit, which began with a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Friday at a city hotel, where both sides agreed to elevate the longstanding relationship to a new strategic level.

During the bilateral talks, Bangladesh proposed the establishment of a dedicated Turkish Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the country and sought expanded engagement by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in investment, trade and industrial partnerships . Key sectors identified for Turkish investment include textiles and apparel, defence manufacturing, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, renewable energy, ICT and smart technologies.

Both sides discussed the possibility of signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to boost bilateral trade, aiming to increase the current trade volume of approximately $1.3 billion to $2 billion.