Bangladesh-Turkey Business Forum launched as a trust
News Desk
The recently established Bangladesh-Turkey Business Forum (BTBF) has been launched as a trust with an aim to protect and promote Turkish and Bangladeshi commercial interests through a trade and investment-focused approach and activities.
The Turkish Embassy in Dhaka has been actively facilitating the growth of a mutually beneficial relationship between Bangladesh and Turkey in the past few years, reads a press release issued on Saturday.
As a result, there has been significant progress in trade volume and Turkish investment in Bangladesh.
In June 2022, the Turkish Embassy initiated the formation of the BTBF to further develop bilateral trade, investments and cultural encounters and act as an advocacy platform promoting bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Turkey.
After successfully functioning for six months, it was decided by the BTBF founders that the objectives of the forum would be better served by setting up a formal organization.
With the constant support of the Turkish Embassy, the forum was formalized as a trust.
Led by Dr Rubana Huq of Mohammadi Group and Salauddin Kashem Khan of AK Khan Group of Companies, BTBF now comprises 12 Bangladeshi conglomerates and four Turkish companies.
On 17 January, the BTBF office was inaugurated at Marina Mansion in Gulshan 2, Dhaka, followed by a press conference organized at the Turkish Embassy Residence to launch the BTBF Trust.
As one of the core objectives of BTBF is to promote and highlight the shared historical and cultural values of Bangladesh and Turkey, the official launch of BTBF was preceded by a classical music recital by the scholars of Bengal Parampara Sangeetalay.
After the recital, Ambassador Turan addressed the guests and the media, followed by remarks from Salauddin Kashem Khan, Ercument Polat, Dr Rubana Huq and the chief guest, Salman F Rahman, private industry and investment advisor to the prime minister.
Ambassador Turan had also invited Golam Sharoar Saymum, a student of Daffodil International University, to share the youth’s expectations from business leaders in the next 10 years.
During their meeting on February 7, BTBF trustees also decided to make an in-kind contribution to relief efforts for the victims of the February 6 earthquakes in Turkey.