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Commerce and investments are on the highest of the Turkish agenda in Bangladesh, Turkish Ambassador Mustafa Osman Turan mentioned on Thursday.
“It’s a precedence for us to extend our commerce. In 2020, the general commerce quantity [between Bangladesh and Türkiye] was round $850 million. Now it has handed the $1 billion threshold. We intention to extend it as much as $2 billion in a few years,” Turan advised a dialogue throughout a go to to The Enterprise Normal workplaces.
“We’re primarily exporting cotton, machineries and chemical compounds for the clothes industries [in Bangladesh]. We’re additionally exporting gentle machineries – not just for the clothes {industry} but additionally for the agro-industry,” he mentioned.
Ambassador Turan mentioned he just lately attended an agro honest the place greater than 20 Turkish corporations participated. “They supply turnkey options for flour mills, and likewise the silos for instance,” he mentioned.
Citing the balanced commerce relations between Dhaka and Ankara when it comes to exports and imports, the ambassador mentioned Türkiye imports round $150 million of RMG merchandise from Bangladesh.
“However the merchandise that we import probably the most is jute. We use it within the carpet {industry}. Jute is finest for the again of the carpet. It’s natural. It retains [the carpet] steady on the ground.
“We purchase yearly round $300 million value of jute from Bangladesh,” the envoy mentioned.
The dialogue on the TBS workplace lined ranges of points together with Turkish relations with Russia as a Nato member, its warming ties with Israel, and the nation’s Gulen motion together with the commerce relations between Bangladesh and Türkiye.
‘Solely Nato nation that may have a dialogue with Russia’
On the query of how Ankara balances its relations with Nato and Russia, Ambassador Turan mentioned, “We’re a member of Nato and different worldwide organisations. However that does not forestall us from pursuing our personal nationwide pursuits. Türkiye pursues an unbiased international coverage.
“With this unbiased international coverage, we speak with all international locations together with Russia, China, and Ukraine. Lots of people misunderstand our relationships with Russia. However really, our relationships with Ukraine are equally sturdy. We assist their territorial integrity.”
He mentioned, “We by no means accepted the annexation of Crimea. We now have all the time expressed a powerful opinion that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine must be protected. That’s the foundation for a political settlement for us. We additionally don’t apply the sanctions on the Russian Federation. So, this provides us a chance to be a mediator.
“Our relationships with Russia do not damage our relationships with Nato as a result of Türkiye is now the one Nato nation that may have a dialogue with Russia. It’s completely mandatory.”
On the meals safety risk that the world is grappling with, the ambassador mentioned his nation is internet hosting talks with Ukraine and Russia to eliminate a famine. They’re attempting to dealer a deal in order that Ukrainian grains will be exported uninterrupted to Africa and different elements of the world.
“Meals safety is threatening all of us…and there are dangers of significant hunger in some international locations. That’s the reason our position as a mediator is essential. Meals Safety is only one side, however what we intention for [is to] dealer a peace deal in order that this pointless struggle can cease.”
On the Russian claims that peace is simply doable if the West stops sending weapons to Ukraine, the Turkish ambassador mentioned, it’s changing into a “hen and egg state of affairs.”
“As a result of they’re one which invaded and that’s the reason the sanctions began. In the event that they withdraw there can be no sanctions. That’s the equilibrium. Placing the blame on the west for this isn’t very productive,” he added.
Türkiye’s ‘attention-grabbing terrorist organisation’ and Israel affairs
Concerning the Gulen motion that the Turkish authorities held answerable for the failed coup of 15 July 2016, the ambassador mentioned, “We name it Feto, that stands for Fethullah Terrorist Organisation. This organisation is a really attention-grabbing terrorist organisation.”
“They disguise themselves very well. They’ve numerous colleges, companies, and media shops. They painting themselves as peace-loving good folks. However within the background, it is a façade,” Turan added.
Within the aftermath of the coup in 2016, the Turkish authorities performed an enormous purge after they fired hundreds of presidency workers for what they known as their reference to the Gulen motion.
It’s a motion led by Fetullah Gulen, an influential non secular determine with whom the present Turkish President Erdogan additionally had pleasant relations earlier than.
On the query of Türkiye’s warming relations with Israel, the ambassador cited that his nation had all the time sought to dealer a peace settlement between Israel and Palestine.
For the reason that Freedom Flotilla raids in 2010 when the Israeli forces killed a number of Turkish civilians, Ankara-Tel Aviv relations continued to deteriorate for a number of years.
Nonetheless, the Turkish FM just lately visited Israel when he mentioned that Türkiye’s warming relations with Israel assist the Palestinian trigger.
On the query of what Türkiye thinks different OIC members ought to do in regard to Israel, the ambassador mentioned, “We anticipate the OIC international locations to assist the Palestinian trigger to the total extent. What they may do with regard to Israel depends upon their very own international coverage.”
Türkiye’s growing commerce pursuits in Bangladesh
Türkiye’s defence {industry} has been progressing fairly quick over the previous couple of years. Ankara is now producing greater than 80% of its home wants for defence tools.
“Which means we’re additionally exporting numerous defence tools,” Turan mentioned. “Just lately, Bangladesh has additionally turn into one of many international locations that we’re cooperating very intently within the defence {industry}.
“Türkiye doesn’t connect political circumstances to the defence {industry}. We signed a safety settlement [with Bangladesh] final January. Our minister of inside visited Bangladesh. It’s mainly an settlement between the police to combat in opposition to terrorism,” the envoy mentioned.
In addition to defence, the nation is engaged on another areas like prescribed drugs and ICT for instance.
“I visited Sq. Prescribed drugs in Gazipur. They’ve an excellent facility there. I heard from them that there was a delegation who got here from Türkiye to see their facility. We’ve not made massive progress on that entrance but…However I’m fairly hopeful as a result of generic medication can be extra vital sooner or later as they’re extra reasonably priced however equally efficient.”
Turan mentioned that like Türkiye has Bangladesh-Türkiye Enterprise Council in his nation – which has signed an settlement with FBCCI to facilitate commerce and funding by B2B conferences – they’ve additionally facilitated the formation of the Bangladesh-Turkey Enterprise Discussion board in Dhaka the place ten native corporations and 6 Turkish are collaborating.
The discussion board can be chaired and co-chaired by Rubana Huq and Salahuddin Kasem Khan. The businesses like Sq., United, BSRM, Ispahani and many others have participated within the discussion board.
Turkish corporations see Bangladesh as a hub for doing enterprise
“We now have two massive investments from Türkiye right here – Aygaz and Arçelik,” Ambassador Turan mentioned. “Aygaz, an LPG firm, is the most important investor. They distribute LPG cylinders to households. They’re working in Bangladesh with the United Group.
“Arçelik, alternatively, is a family electronics and home equipment firm. They purchased the bulk shares of Singer Bangladesh round three years in the past…They’re the second most precious model in Türkiye. They’re now increasing their enterprise [in Bangladesh],” the envoy mentioned. “That is actually good for Bangladesh as a result of two massive Turkish corporations [invested here].”
These two massive Turkish corporations are subsidiaries of the KOC group. It’s the solely Fortune 500 firm in Türkiye that produces a whopping 8% of all the Turkish GDP.
The envoy mentioned these two massive corporations from the KOC Group investing in Bangladesh are an enormous indicator that Turkish corporations see Bangladesh as a hub for doing enterprise.
“As a result of earlier than they make investments someplace they analysis the potential of the nation…Bangladesh has a shiny future as a result of it’s a younger inhabitants, [it has] expert staff, and a rising home market,” Turan mentioned.
Turkish corporations won’t solely goal the home market, Turan mentioned, but additionally goal the neighbouring international locations utilizing Bangladesh as a hub.
Within the dialogue on the TBS workplace, the envoy talked about a number of different Turkish corporations equivalent to Turkish Airways and LC Waikiki amongst others which have been rising their companies in Bangladesh.
The envoy additionally talked about the Turkish development corporations’ rising curiosity in Bangladesh. “[Our construction companies] are doing numerous enterprise world wide in Africa, Central Asia, Center East, Balkans and now they’re slowly discovering the South Asian market. Since Bangladesh requires numerous infrastructure for the financial system to develop, they’re changing into increasingly keen on Bangladesh.”
The Enterprise Normal Editor Inam Ahmed, Government Editor Sharier Khan, and Managing Editor Chowdhury Khaled Masood had been current in the course of the dialogue.
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