Bangladesh and Türkiye on Friday agreed to deepen strategic cooperation, expand trade and investment ties and explore a free trade arrangement as the two countries seek to elevate their longstanding bilateral relationship to a new strategic level.

The commitments were made during a bilateral meeting between Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at a city hotel.

"We emphasised that the visit comes at a significant moment of Bangladesh- Türkiye relations and demonstrates the shared commitment of both countries to deepening cooperation and elevating the bilateral partnership to new heights at a strategic level," Khalilur said at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart on Friday.

Welcoming the visiting Turkish foreign minister, Khalilur said the discussions were held in a spirit of friendship, mutual respect and understanding, reflecting the longstanding partnership between the two countries.

Referring to the government's foreign policy priorities, Khalilur said the administration led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman remains committed to safeguarding Bangladesh's sovereignty, national interests and the welfare of its people while pursuing constructive relations with friendly nations.

"Foreign policy of our government, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is guided by the philosophy of 'Bangladesh Before All'. This principle reflects our resolute commitment to safeguarding Bangladesh's independence, sovereignty, national interests and the welfare of our people. At the same time, it reflects our belief that beyond our borders we have friends and partners, not masters," he said.

The two sides agreed that the visit marks an important milestone in bilateral relations and opens new opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, development and regional affairs, while a major focus of the talks was economic cooperation and trade expansion.

Khalilur said Bangladesh and Türkiye discussed the possibility of signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to further boost bilateral trade and investment.

Bilateral trade has been growing steadily and both countries are now working to increase trade volume to USD$2 billion from the current level of around $1.3 billion, he noted.

The foreign minister invited Turkish investors to take advantage of Bangladesh's investment-friendly environment and opportunities available in the country's economic zones and special economic zones.

He proposed the establishment of a dedicated Turkish Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bangladesh and sought expanded engagement by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in investment, trade and industrial partnerships.

According to Khalilur, Bangladesh has identified several promising sectors for Turkish investment, including textiles and apparel, defence manufacturing, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, renewable energy, information and communication technology (ICT), and smart technologies.

He also proposed the establishment of an international-standard hospital and nursing institute in Dhaka with Turkish cooperation and requested increased scholarship opportunities for Bangladeshi students pursuing higher education in Türkiye.

Noting that around 3,000 Bangladeshis currently reside in Türkiye, most of them students, he called for easier visa procedures to facilitate tourism, education, cultural exchanges, business interactions and investment-related travel.

On the Rohingya issue, the foreign minister reiterated Bangladesh's position that the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar with full citizenship rights remains the only viable solution to the crisis.

He thanked Türkiye for its continued humanitarian assistance and diplomatic support for the Rohingya people and said the visiting Turkish delegation would visit Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar later in the day to gain first-hand knowledge of the situation.

Khalilur expressed confidence that Hakan Fidan's visit would further deepen cooperation, collaboration and mutual understanding between the two countries and help unlock new opportunities for partnership across multiple sectors.

He expressed Bangladesh's appreciation to Türkiye for sending election observers during the parliamentary election in February this year and for dispatching Deputy Foreign Minister Berris Ekinci to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new government.

The foreign minister also thanked the Turkish government and Hakan Fidan personally for supporting Bangladesh's successful candidature for the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Speaking at the same press conference, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Bangladesh and described the South Asian nation as an important partner in the region.

Fidan said there is significant potential for cooperation in a number of sectors, particularly in defence industries, trade, investment and technology.

Describing Bangladesh and Türkiye as strong voices of the Global South, he said the two sides exchanged views on a wide range of international and regional issues and found broad convergence on many of them.

Fidan said Türkiye would continue to work closely with Bangladesh on issues of mutual interest and reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations in line with the shared aspirations of the two friendly nations.

On the Rohingya crisis, the Turkish foreign minister praised Bangladesh for sheltering more than one million forcibly displaced Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds and reiterated Ankara's continued support for their safe, voluntary and dignified return to Myanmar.

"Bangladesh has undertaken a historic humanitarian responsibility. We highly appreciate its efforts and will continue our support for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingya people," he said.

Fidan said Türkiye would continue intensive diplomatic efforts to keep the Rohingya issue on the international agenda and work with the international community to achieve a lasting solution to the crisis.

The Turkish foreign minister also expressed concern over ongoing conflicts and tensions in different parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East.

Referring to the situation in Gaza, he accused Israel of violating ceasefire efforts and said the international community must take effective measures to stop what he described as continuing atrocities against the Palestinian people.

He said Türkiye remains deeply concerned about the escalation of regional conflicts and stressed the importance of diplomacy and dialogue in resolving disputes.

Regarding the ongoing talks between Iran and the United States, Fidan expressed hope that the negotiations would contribute to regional peace and stability.

He also underscored the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation through strategic waterways and appreciated Pakistan's role in mediation efforts aimed at reducing tensions and promoting regional stability.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat were also present at the meeting.

Fidan, who arrived in Dhaka on Thursday night on a two-day official visit, is also scheduled to call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and visit Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar, underscoring Türkiye's continued support for displaced Rohingyas and humanitarian efforts in Bangladesh.