Bangladesh-Turkey Business Forum formed

Eleven Bangladeshi and six Turkish companies have established Bangladesh-Turkey Business Forum (BTBF) at a meeting hosted recently by the Turkish Embassy in Dhaka.

Bangladesh-Turkey Business Forum is expected to be the leading business platform to bring Bangladesh and Turkey closer through innovative branding and building partnerships, said a press release of the Embassy of Turkey in Dhaka on Sunday.

It said the BTBF will solidify support for bilateral trade, investments, and cultural encounters and act as an advocacy platform promoting bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Turkey.

The BTBF Founding Members are as follows: BTBF Chairperson Rubana Huq, Managing Director of Mohammadi Group has been made Chairperson of the newly floated forum.

Other office-bearers are: Co-Chairperson Salahuddin Kasem Khan AK Khan & Co Ltd, Deputy Chairperson Kazi Zahedul Hasan, Founder & MD of Kazi Farms Group and Secretary General Ercüment Polat, CEO, United Aygaz LPG Ltd.

Members of the forum are: Alihussain Akberali – Chairman of BSRM, Anjan Chowdhury of Square Group, Abul Khair Litu of Bengal Group, Enayetullah Khan of Cosmos Group, Mohamed Haniffa Mohamed Fairoz of Singer Bangladesh Ltd, Moinuddin Hasan Rashidof United Group, Mirza Salman Ispahani of MM Ispahani Ltd, Sk. Nasir Uddin of Akij Group, Emrah Karaca of Turkish Airlines in Bangladesh, Hakan Altınışık of Arçelik, Mehmet Yıldız of NKY Architects & Engineers, Muhammed Çağrı Ünal of EPİK Holding and Özgür Türk of LCWaikiki.

“May this forum strengthen bilateral ties, expedite connections and optimise potential. The business to business and people to people connect will surely offer more opportunities to explore at both our ends,” said Rubana Huq following her election as the BTBF Chairperson.

She said BTBF will soon be legally constituted to perform its activities through its working groups on trade, investment and cultural activities. A Research and Data Cell will also be created within its Secretariat to develop collaboration with experts and relevant institutions. Gender balance will be encouraged in the membership and leadership structure of BTBF.

Salahuddin Kasem Khan, as the BTBF Co-chairperson and Honorary Consul General of Türkiye in Chattogram, stated that “The Forum is significant as some of the oldest and largest corporates of Bangladesh and Türkiye are represented. Since both are members of D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, Bangladesh can evolve as a hub for Turkish companies in the Bay of Bengal region and Türkiye for Bangladeshi companies in the EU & the Central Asian regions.”

Turkish Ambassadors in Dhaka will be patrons of BTBF while Honorary Consul Generals of Türkiye in Bangladesh will be honorary members of the Executive Board.

Ambassador of Turkish Embassy in Dhaka Mustafa Osman Turan has expressed his pleasure about the decision of the seventeen Bangladeshi and Turkish companies to unite their forces for the mutual benefit of both of their countries.

“From now on, there is a new powerful business platform who will rebrand Türkiye in Bangladesh and Bangladesh in Türkiye so that our people can get to know each other better and tap into their full potential through partnerships and joint projects.” Ambassador Turan told the Founding Members at their meeting.

A BTBF delegation is planning to visit Türkiye in September 2022 to meet with the Turkish Government and Business Representatives and to explore opportunities for collaboration, read the press release.