The head of Bangladesh's caretaker government, Muhammad Yunus, on Thursday extended an invitation to Türkiye to bring its advanced technology to the South Asian nation and collaborate in building its defense industry.
"You are the leader of the technology; you can build your defense industry here. Let’s make a beginning ... we are available for anything that you need," Yunus told a Turkish delegation led by Trade Minister Ömer Bolat during a meeting in the capital, Dhaka.
The discussions highlighted potential areas for economic cooperation beyond the textile industry, Türkiye's primary import from Bangladesh. Bolat emphasized the importance of diversifying trade ties, noting opportunities in sectors such as defense, health care, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural machinery.
"We can replace India and other markets in Bangladesh’s imports. There can be cooperation in economic and social fields at all levels," Bolat said, signaling Türkiye's eagerness to strengthen bilateral trade and investment.
In the fiscal year 2023-24, Bangladesh's exports to Türkiye amounted to approximately $581 million, while imports stood at around $424 million. Bolat's visit comes as Türkiye seeks to expand its footprint in Bangladesh’s growing economy.
Yunus, underscoring the country’s demographics, noted that Bangladesh is the eighth most populous nation globally. He urged Türkiye to leverage the country's young workforce to establish manufacturing bases.
"Use our young people to run your factories here (in Bangladesh) so that you can supply your products in the region,” Yunus suggested, highlighting the government's focus on creating employment opportunities for the youth.
Currently, nearly 20 major Turkish companies operate in Bangladesh across sectors such as garments, textiles, chemicals, engineering, construction, and energy, reflecting existing strong ties between the two nations.
Yunus, a Nobel Peace laureate renowned for his pioneering work in microfinance, assumed leadership of the caretaker government in August after weeks of political unrest forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down and seek refuge in neighboring India. Known as the "banker to the poor," Yunus’s Grameen Bank earned global recognition, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for helping lift millions out of poverty through microcredit.
Tasked with restoring stability to a nation grappling with some of its worst violence in decades, Yunus is leading efforts to heal the country and prepare for fresh parliamentary elections.
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