Desk Report
Publish: 24 Nov 2021, 10:32 pm
Turkish Ambassador in Dhaka Mustafa Osman Turan || Photo: Collected
Turkish
Ambassador in Dhaka Mustafa Osman Turan today said Ankara’s “deep rooted” ties
with Dhaka remained cemented while some political developments over the past
few years strengthened it further, opening scopes for enhanced economic
cooperation as well.
"Turkey
and Bangladesh enjoy long standing deep rooted relationship . . . nothing can
change this” he told diplomatic correspondents at a briefing at the new Turkish
embassy in the capital.
He
said Turkey was the first country to express solidarity with Dhaka at the onset
of the Rohingya influx in 2017 from Myanmar and continued to support Dhaka over
the crisis.
On
the other hand, the envoy said, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was the
first world leader to stand by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in 2016 when
Ankara witnessed an abortive coup.
“The
Rohingya issue and the solidarity message were critical in reframing the close relations
between our countries . . . no political development can change this fact,”
Turan said.
Asked
for comments about the Turkey’s apparent gesture against Bangladesh’s war
crimes trial several years ago, the envoy said disagreements could be there but
that incident was “unfortunately misinterpreted”.
"(Currently),
I see no obstacle that our relations will deter further as I said that incident
was misinterpreted," Turan said indicating to the war crimes trial in the
International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh.
Currently,
he said, Ankara was working to increase the trade volume between the two
countries worth up to US$3 billion which by now crossed the US$1 billion mark.
He said the defense cooperation between Dhaka
and Ankara were increasing for last couple of years in view of Turkey’s near
self-sufficiency in defense manufacturing.
He said Turkey would like to be a “solution
maker” for Bangladesh armed forces.
The ambassador said his country also expressed
its interest to invest in Bangladesh’s ship building industry as well as
enhance cooperation in the pharmaceuticals and ICT sectors.
Both
the countries in recent period built their embassies purchasing lands in the
two capitals.
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