Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen reaffirmed his country's commitment to working with Bangladesh at the international level to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

The pledge came during a meeting on Sunday with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office.

The meeting, which began around 4 pm and lasted for approximately 45 minutes, also included discussions on bilateral issues and Bangladesh’s upcoming national election.

BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Organizing Secretary Shama Obed were present at the discussion.

Turkish Commitment to Rohingya Cause
Following the meeting, Amir Khasru briefed reporters, emphasizing Turkey's longstanding commitment to the Rohingya issue.

He highlighted that Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu were among the first foreign dignitaries to visit Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar in 2017, soon after Myanmar's persecuted population sought refuge in Bangladesh.

“Turkey has shown a strong commitment to the Rohingya people and resolving the crisis. They have continued their cooperation through providing healthcare and donations for the Rohingyas," Khasru said.

He added that the Turkish envoy assured them that Turkey would collaborate with Bangladesh at the international level, particularly through the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to address the crisis.

"I hope we’ll be able to do that," Khasru stated.

Focus on Elections and Bilateral Relations
The upcoming national election in Bangladesh was another key topic of discussion.

"Every foreign friend has the same question: when will the election be held? We told them what we usually say," Khasru remarked, adding that international stakeholders are closely monitoring the situation to determine their future engagement with Bangladesh.

"Turkey has an interest in this, and they also wanted to know when the election will be held," he said.

Expanding Bangladesh-Turkey Cooperation
The Turkish Ambassador shared plans to deepen bilateral ties, including establishing a cultural center in Dhaka to promote people-to-people connections.

Discussions also covered enhancing trade relations and Turkey’s proposal to offer discounted treatment packages for Bangladeshi patients.

"Many Bangladeshis are already going to Turkey for treatment, and Turkey wants to encourage this further. The standard of medical treatment in Turkey is comparable to that of Western countries," Khasru noted.

Additionally, Turkey expressed interest in supporting Bangladesh with institutional reforms, including strengthening the Election Commission and building capacity in various sectors.

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