Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in defence, trade, investment and energy. The two leaders also discussed expanding cooperation on Rohingya repatriation and addressing the impacts of climate change.

The bilateral meeting took place at the Maxx Royal Hotel in Antalya, Türkiye, on Tuesday, November 10, ahead of the Leaders' Summit of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31).

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed a range of issues of mutual interest, including expanding defence cooperation, increasing bilateral trade and investment, strengthening partnerships in energy and mineral resources, and facilitating the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.

They also discussed opportunities for Turkish investment in Bangladesh's renewable energy sector.

At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman recalled his previous meeting with Erdoğan on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last September.

He expressed satisfaction with the progress of cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest and congratulated Türkiye on hosting COP31.

Boosting Defence and Trade Cooperation

During the talks, Tarique Rahman emphasised the importance of deepening and diversifying defence cooperation between Bangladesh and Türkiye.

He also called for exploring opportunities for joint investment in the defence sector.

The prime minister stressed the need for closer communication and discussions between the two countries to expand bilateral trade and investment.

Partnership in Energy and Mineral Resources

Energy security and cooperation in the mineral resources sector were also among the key issues discussed at the meeting.

Tarique Rahman highlighted the potential for Turkish investment in Bangladesh's renewable energy sector and emphasised the importance of developing a stronger partnership in this area.

Cooperation on Climate Change

The prime minister highlighted the need for greater international cooperation to help climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh address the adverse impacts of climate change.

The two leaders also discussed opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation and partnerships in tackling the climate crisis.

Türkiye's Support for Rohingya Repatriation

Tarique Rahman praised Türkiye's continued support in addressing the Rohingya crisis.

He expressed gratitude for Türkiye's solidarity at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the Rohingya issue and its continued humanitarian assistance on the ground.

The prime minister stressed that Türkiye's continued support and active role at the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) were important for ensuring the safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees.

He also called on Türkiye to maintain its support for the Rohingya community at international forums.