BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 17. Turkmenistan and Bangladesh held their first political consultations, discussing bilateral ties and prospects for expanding trade and economic cooperation.
This was reflected in a press release published by Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry following the consultations between the delegations led by Turkmen Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Gurbanov and Bangladesh’s Secretary for Bilateral Relations (East and West) Nazrul Islam.
According to the report, the sides discussed the current state of political and diplomatic dialogue and agreed on the importance of organizing high-level visits to expand interstate relations.
The officials also agreed to work on arranging mutual visits by the foreign ministers and emphasized the importance of maintaining regular contacts between the two foreign ministries.
“Among the promising areas of cooperation are the oil and gas industry, transport connectivity, agriculture, textile industry and others,” the ministry said.
The sides also considered establishing cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
They also discussed prospects for cooperation in culture, education and tourism, while noting constructive interaction within international organizations, including the UN.
For reference, Turkmenistan and Bangladesh established diplomatic relations in February 1992, and the two countries have since maintained cooperation through bilateral and multilateral channels, including the UN. Earlier discussions between the sides identified agriculture, textiles, energy and transport as areas with potential for expanding economic ties.
Economic cooperation has remained an important part of the bilateral agenda. In 2018, the two sides discussed activating trade and economic relations and establishing contacts between business communities, while also highlighting opportunities in agriculture and the textile sector. Energy and transport cooperation were also raised during those talks, including Bangladesh’s interest in Turkmenistan’s TAPI gas pipeline project.
