Turkish President Erdogan and Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman met at the COP31 summit in Antalya to strengthen bilateral cooperation in defence, trade, energy, and to address the ongoing Rohingya humanitarian crisis.
Strengthening Bilateral Relations
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has held a meeting with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, with the two leaders discussing ways to further strengthen bilateral relations, including defence cooperation. The bilateral meeting took place on Tuesday (local time) in Antalya. It was held on the evening preceding the summit of heads of state and government, convened on the occasion of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkiye.
During the meeting, discussions covered a range of issues of mutual interest, including further strengthening Bangladesh-Turkiye bilateral relations, expanding defence cooperation, increasing trade and investment, Rohingya repatriation, cooperation in the energy and mineral resources sectors, and addressing the impacts of climate change. Additionally, establishing partnerships in the renewable energy sector featured prominently in the talks, the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office said after the meeting.
Diplomatic Engagements and Strategic Priorities
At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman recalled his meeting with the Turkish President on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York last September. He commended the progress in bilateral cooperation across various areas of mutual interest and congratulated Turkiye on successfully hosting the COP31 summit.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stressed the importance of deepening and diversifying defence cooperation between Bangladesh and Turkiye. The Prime Minister emphasised broadening cooperation with Turkiye in Bangladesh’s defence sector, as well as focusing on joint investments. To boost bilateral trade and investment, the Prime Minister underscored the need for closer dialogue between the two nations. Expanding cooperation in energy security and the mineral resources sector was also discussed. The Prime Minister noted that significant opportunities existed for Turkish investment in Bangladesh’s renewable energy sector. The Prime Minister highlighted the crucial importance of international cooperation for climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change.
Addressing the Rohingya Crisis
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman praised Turkiye’s consistent support in resolving the Rohingya crisis. He expressed gratitude for Turkiye’s steadfast solidarity at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the Rohingya humanitarian crisis and thanked the country for providing on-the-ground humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya people.
Building on Turkiye’s vital diplomatic standing, the Prime Minister stated that Ankara’s ongoing support and active role within the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) were essential to ensuring the safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya. Consequently, the Prime Minister called upon Turkiye to maintain its steadfast international advocacy for the Rohingya cause. (ANI)
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