Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday invited more Turkish investment in Bangladesh, saying Dhaka is ‘now ready for business’ and both nations should explore full potential in their relationship. "We should put in a big effort," he said when Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen paid a courtesy call on the Chief Adviser at his Tejgaon office in Dhaka. The Turkish envoy said bilateral trade between the two nations now stands at $1.1 billion, but there are huge scopes to scale up exports from both countries. He said a Turkish official delegation is now visiting Bangladesh in an effort to explore new business and trade opportunities and help reform initiatives of the interim government, according to the Chief Adviser's press wing. "We want to deepen trade and economic ties," Sen said, adding that the Turkish Trade Minister would visit Bangladesh in December this year. Prof Yunus for creating "safe zone guaranteed by UN" for displaced people in Rakhine Prof Yunus also extended an invitation to the Turkish President and the first lady to visit Bangladesh at an opportune time. They discussed ways to deepen trade, economic and defence cooperation between the two countries, the Rohingya crisis, and more exchanges of students between two Muslim majority nations. Prof Yunus appreciated the Turkish humanitarian response to recent Bangladesh floods, its continued assistance to the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's southeast, and a visit by a Turkish official delegation to enhance trade and business ties between the two nations. The envoy thanked Bangladesh for expressing solidarity with the earthquake victims of Turkey last year and sending some 10,000 tents for them. He conveyed Ankara’s invitation to Bangladesh to attend the upcoming World Halal Summit and a ministerial-level meeting in Istanbul. He said another Turkish team travelled the country during the recent floods in southeast Bangladesh, and provided humanitarian aid to the flood victims in Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur and Cumilla. The Turkish Ambassador emphasised a high-level business delegation's visit to Turkey to engage with Turkish business people and officials.

Government-sponsored 100 economic zones in Bangladesh are attracting more Turkish investment to come with their new investments, said outgoing Turkish ambassador Mustafa Osman Turan on Tuesday. He came up with the remark while calling on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office in the morning on Tuesday. PM’s speech writer M Nazrul Islam briefed the reporters after the meeting. He said that the Turkish Ambassador mentioned that already two companies of his country invested $850 million this year in the economic zones. “The unprecedented infrastructural development of Bangladesh, especially the establishment of 100 economic zones, is attracting Turkish investors in Bangladesh,” the envoy was quoted as saying by Nazrul. The Prime Minister requested the outgoing ambassador to encourage more Turkish investment in Bangladesh to further cement the excellent bilateral relations between the two friendly countries.  “We have historical and cultural ties,” she said.  She also said that both countries could establish cooperation in the defence sector apart from economic and social cooperation.  She emphasises on holding the Joint Economic Commission meeting in Bangladesh to hold dialogue about the enhancement of business and trade between the two countries.   The last Commission meeting was held in Istanbul (Turkey) in 2019.  The Turkish envoy mentioned that his country is interested to cooperate in the defence sector.  The Prime Minister requested Turkey to put pressure on Myanmar for taking back Rohingya as more than 1 million Rohingya have become a serious burden for Bangladesh. In reply, the ambassador assured the PM of his country’s continuous support. Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin and Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present during the meeting. Hasina said Bangladesh wants more Turkish cooperation including in investment and business areas to face the challenges ahead as the country is in the process of graduating from the LDC status in 2026. The envoy sought a suitable place in Bangladesh for establishing a super specialised hospital. In response, the Prime Minister said it could be in Purbachal or somewhere near the Padma Bridge to ensure improved health care services for the people of the country’s southern region. The Turkish Ambassador highly praised the idea of the Prime Minister on establishing a Smart Bangladesh. He said that Turkey will extend its cooperation in this regard, and the idea will also be subscribed in Turkey.  He further said that there are more areas like tourism and education where cooperation between Bangladesh and Turkey could be further expanded. Turan hoped that Hasina will form the government again after being re-elected in the next general election.