In a significant step toward deepening bilateral defense ties, Turkey’s top defense industry official met with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and senior members of the armed forces on Tuesday, underscoring Dhaka’s growing emphasis on strategic diversification and self-reliance in defense.
Haluk Görgün, President of Turkey’s Defense Industries and one of Ankara’s leading figures in military technology and exports, arrived in Dhaka early Tuesday aboard a regular Turkish Airlines flight. The visit is seen as a return leg of a series of high-level exchanges, following multiple official visits by senior Bangladeshi defense personnel to Turkey in recent years.
“This visit demonstrates the strong momentum in bilateral defence cooperation. We are keen to develop Bangladesh’s indigenous defense capabilities in close partnership with Turkiye,” said a senior official at the Ministry of Defense.
Görgün began his Dhaka engagements with a courtesy call on Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman at Army Headquarters. According to a statement released by the Bangladesh Army, both sides expressed satisfaction with the current state of cooperation and discussed the future scope of joint development, especially in the area of technology transfer.
“H.E. Prof. Haluk Görgün assured full Turkish cooperation in advancing Bangladesh’s defense industry,” the statement noted. “The Army Chief conveyed Bangladesh’s ambition to locally produce modern military equipment with Turkish technical collaboration.”
The Turkish delegation also held separate meetings with Navy Chief Admiral M. Nazmul Hasan and Air Force Chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan. The Navy hosted a luncheon in honor of the visiting dignitary, reflecting the warmth of the bilateral relationship.
Later in the day, Görgün met Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna. The Adviser’s Press Wing confirmed that discussions centered on strengthening defense industrial cooperation within the framework of Bangladesh’s national development goals.
The visit coincides with Bangladesh’s accelerated implementation of its ambitious Forces Goal 2030 agenda, aimed at modernizing and expanding the country’s military capacity while boosting local production capabilities. A key element of the strategy is reducing overdependence on any single supplier.
Having traditionally sourced much of its military hardware from China, Bangladesh has significantly expanded its defense trade with Turkiye in recent years. In 2022, it emerged as the top destination for Turkish defense exports, acquiring advanced drones, guided munitions, and other sophisticated systems.
“There is a strong strategic understanding between Bangladesh and Turkiye,” said former Bangladesh Ambassador to Ankara, Mosud Mannan. “Given the evolving global context, this partnership reflects Bangladesh’s vision for a more diversified and resilient defense posture.”
Analysts see the Turkish visit as a positive indicator of Dhaka’s commitment to balanced foreign relations and assertive national development. By actively engaging emerging defense partners like Turkiye, Bangladesh continues to demonstrate its strategic maturity on the global stage.
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