Editor's Pick

Editorial

Ties with Turkey

Much deeper than inking of two accords
15 November 2010, 18:00 PM
EDITORIAL
Historically as well as contemporaneously, Ankara and Dhaka have had well-cultivated and many-layered bilateral ties. These have not only stood the test of time but fostered mutual endearment from time to time. Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern secular Turkey has been a magic name to the people of this part of the world. Beginning with poet Nazrul's Ode to him, we have an arterial street and a school named after him. Turkey being part of both Europe and Asia, its geopolitical clout engages our attention as we closely follow events in that country having to do with democracy, liberalism and quest for advancement we both share. The historicity of the ties apart, what is of tremendous present-day relevance are the institutional links between Turkey and Bangladesh through D-8 commission, OIC and at the bilateral level via Turkey-Bangladesh Joint Commission on trade, economic and technical cooperation. The bonds of friendship and cooperation have been featured, enlivened and enriched through regular exchanges of visits and contacts at the highest political levels between the two countries. Only in February this year, Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Bangladesh following President Zillur Rahman's trip to Istanbul in connection with Economic Summit of Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation under the OIC auspices. And we have just had the auspicious visit to Dhaka by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan heading a powerful delegation consisting of Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, State Minister Mehmet Aydin, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz. They have signed two agreements with us, one on healthcare and an MoU on exchange of land for setting up embassy offices in the two countries. Beyond that, they have resolved that both-way trade which now stood at US$ 927 million worth will be raised to US$ 3 billion by 2015. Turkey is the main importer of jute yarns for its carpet industry and our RMG products have a great prospect there, aside from handicraft. Turkish exports are textiles, dyeing machine, chemicals, power generators and steel. We welcome their investment in infrastructure, energy, agro-based industry, ICT, textile and river dredging. The possibility of relocating Turkish RMG industries with a relative advantage in Bangladesh in terms of affordable and trainable manpower will be well worth exploring. We are heartened by Turkish vision for Bangladesh becoming a middle income country by 2021. We end on a note of air connectivity between Ankara and Dhaka planned for the very near future.

Google News LinkFor all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.

Click to comment
FIFA live scorecard banner
FIFA logo
Group D
10'
United States
United States
1 - 0
Live
Australia
Australia

Related News