Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s three-day visit to Bangladesh in early June marks the start of a “new era” in Bangladesh–Turkiye relations, particularly in the realm of defense cooperation.
While defense cooperation reportedly dominated informal discussions during the visit, no specific provisions on military cooperation appeared in the signed memoranda; the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) only covered cooperation on cultural heritage preservation.
Bangladesh’s foreign minister highlighted progress on a possible free trade agreement and preferential trade agreement aimed at lifting bilateral trade to $2 billion.
However, it is defense cooperation between Dhaka and Ankara that has generated a buzz in Bangladesh’s diplomatic and security circles.
The two countries have been building a military partnership over the past decade. Fidan’s visit crystallized this trajectory by institutionalizing political and defense ties. The two sides agreed to set up ministerial-level joint committees on defense and foreign affairs and hold annual “2+2” consultations involving foreign and defense ministers. This format elevates military cooperation from transactional purchases to structured strategic dialogue, a hallmark of deeper partnerships.
