Govt seeks to advance FTA talks with Türkiye

Bangladesh wants to advance negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Türkiye and strengthen trade and investment ties between the two countries, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said yesterday.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Ramis Şen, Türkiye’s ambassador to Bangladesh, at the industries ministry in Dhaka.

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Muktadir expressed interest in holding a bilateral meeting with Türkiye’s trade minister and meeting investment agencies during his upcoming visit to Türkiye.

The meeting also focused on expanding economic ties and using Türkiye’s experience and capacity to manage hazardous industrial waste, including waste from the electronics and ship-breaking industries.

The two sides discussed potential areas of cooperation related to specialised facilities in Türkiye, including treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDFs), for treating, storing and disposing of such waste.

The ambassador said leather processing and tannery activities had declined in Türkiye for environmental reasons. At the same time, the use of synthetic leather and imports of raw materials had increased, he said.

The two sides also discussed increasing fruit imports from Türkiye. Muktadir requested the contact details and profiles of fruit-exporting organisations in the country to help facilitate imports.

Bangladesh’s participation in international trade conferences also came up for discussion.

Both sides expressed hope of further strengthening trade and economic cooperation, according to a statement from the commerce ministry.