Bangladesh wishes to deepen its defence cooperation with Turkey. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman addressed this issue with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 10 November in Antalya, on the margins of COP31. Theturkish presidency confirms meeting, also attended by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Bilateral cooperation to be developed
According to the report of the reporterUNB in Antalya, which quotes the Deputy Spokesman of the Prime Minister, Hasan Shipllu, Tarique Rahman has asked to diversify defence relations, including through joint investments. The two leaders also discussed trade, energy and mineral resources.
Bangladeshi official highlighted the potential for Turkish investment in renewable energy. He also thanked Ankara for its humanitarian support to the Rohingya and for its work in international forums for their safe, dignified and sustainable return.
This presentation describes cooperation objectives. The report consulted does not give the amount of military contract signed, the list of equipment ordered or the delivery schedule. The demand to develop joint investments therefore makes it impossible to present an industrial programme as already funded.
Do not confuse cooperation with accession
The bilateral rapprochement differs from the defence pact signed between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Thedossier of the Turkish Parliamentstates that the law authorizing the approval of this agreement was adopted on 5 November. This decision concerns the Turkish procedure, not Bangladesh’s entry into the Pact.
The text of the treaty annexed to the parliamentary report provides that the terms of accession of other parties must be determined and approved by the strategic committee, with the consensus of the founding parties. A diplomatic discussion or bilateral industrial partnership does not replace this procedure.
On 12 October, Bangladeshi Secretary of State Shama Obaed Islam saidUNBthat his country had not joined the pact. This finding is dated. The information verified on the meeting on 10 November does not announce an accession: they establish a desire to broaden the cooperation between Dhaka and Ankara.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, The Hague, 25 June 2025. Archive: This photo does not represent the encounter with Tarique Rahman in Antalya. Integer photograph preserved and resized proportionally, cladding Libnanews. © Phil Nijhuis / Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo and adaptation: CC BY-SA 4.0.Photographic source;cC BY-SA 4.0 license.
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