Meetings during Bangladeshi army chief’s tour of Turkey focused on mutual interest issues, defense cooperation
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Top military officials of Turkey and Bangladesh discussed possible areas of defense cooperation, training, and exchanges during meetings in Turkey this week, the Bangladeshi army said on Wednesday.
Turkish Land Forces Commander Gen. Musa Avsever met the visiting Bangladeshi army chief Gen. S M Shafiuddin Ahmed on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, the Bangladeshi military’s media wing ISPR said in a statement.
Ahmed, who took over as head of the Bangladeshi army this June, also met several other senior officials of the Turkish Armed Forces and inspected the operation control room of the Turkish Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), Army Aviation Headquarters, and the Turkish Aerospace Industries, read the statement.
He also visited the mausoleum of the Turkish Republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the capital Ankara to pay his respects.
Ahmed was in Turkey with an eight-member delegation for an eight-day visit that ends on Wednesday.
He earlier called on senior Turkish officials, including the country’s defense minister and the head of Turkey’s Defense Industries Presidency (SSB).
In the meetings, Ahmed highlighted the strategic friendship and cultural bonds between Bangladesh and Turkey, adding that his visit will “open new doors for cooperation between the military forces of the two countries,” the ISPR statement said.
Ismail Demir, head of Turkey’s SSB, assured the visiting delegation that Ankara will make efforts to provide necessary assistance to Bangladesh and ensure that future defense cooperation will be friendlier and more beneficial, it added.