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Bangladesh and Turkiye have agreed to hold annual 2+2 consultations involving the foreign and defence ministers of both countries, likely as part of efforts to strengthen defence cooperation.
The decision was taken during a meeting between Turkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister's Office on Saturday. The meeting marked the final engagement of Fidan's three-day official visit to Bangladesh. During the meeting, Fidan conveyed greetings from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Prime Minister Rahman and said his visit represented the first step towards taking Bangladesh-Turkiye relations to a strategic level. "In this regard, both sides agreed to hold Annual Foreign Office Consultations at the level of Foreign Ministers. It was also decided that annual 2+2 consultations will be held involving Foreign and Defence Ministers of both sides," Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement following the meeting. The two sides also agreed to establish a consultation mechanism under their respective foreign ministers, involving relevant ministries from both countries, with the intention to further strengthen political, economic and strategic cooperation. The meeting reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, with discussions focusing on the Rohingya issue, climate change, trade and investment, joint production and cooperation, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. Turkiye has already expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the defence sector. "There are steps we can take to enhance our cooperation in various fields, particularly in the defence industry. We thoroughly reviewed all these matters with my esteemed colleague," Fidan told reporters on Friday during a joint press conference with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman following bilateral talks. The Bangladesh Prime Minister thanked the Turkish Foreign Minister for his visit and extended an invitation to President Erdogan to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time in the near future. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir were also present during the meeting. (ANI)
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