Desk Report:Eleven Bangladeshi and six Turkish companies have come together and established the new Bangladesh-Türkiye Business Forum to strengthen bilateral ties, expedite connections and optimise potential.
The newly established Bangladesh-Türkiye Business Forum aspires to be a leading business platform to bring Bangladesh and Türkiye closer through innovative branding and building partnerships.
The BTBF was formed at a meeting hosted by the Turkish Embassy in Dhaka recently.
BTBF will solidify support for bilateral trade, investments, and cultural encounters and act as an advocacy platform promoting bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Türkiye, said the embassy on Friday.
Rubana Huq, managing director of Mohammadi Group and vice-chancellor of the Asian University for Women has been elected chairperson of the BTBF while Salahuddin Kasem Khan, chairman, EC of Board, AK Khan & Co Ltd elected co-chairperson.
Kazi Zahedul Hasan, founder and MD, Kazi Farms Group has been made BTBF deputy chairperson while Ercument Polat, chief executive officer, United Aygaz LPG Ltd will act as BTBF secretary general.
Other BTBF founding members are Alihussain Akberali, chairman, BSRM, Anjan Chowdhury, key stakeholder, Square Group, Abul Khair Litu, chairman, Bengal Group Ltd and founder, Bengal Foundation, Enayetullah Khan, founder and MD, Cosmos Group, Mohamed Haniffa Mohamed Fairoz. CEO and MD, Singer Bangladesh Ltd, Moinuddin Hasan Rashid, chairman and MD, United Group, Mirza Salman Ispahani, chairman and MD, MM Ispahani Ltd, Sk Nasir Uddin, chairman, Akij Group, Emrah Karaca, country manager, Turkish Airlines in Bangladesh, Hakan Altınışık, director of technology and innovation, Arçelik, Mehmet Yıldız, administrative and financial specialist, NKY Architects & Engineers, Muhammed Çağrı Ünal, construction coordinator, EPİK Holding and Özgür Türk, country director, LCWaikiki.
BTBF will soon be legally constituted to perform its activities through its working groups on trade, investment and cultural activities. A Research and Data Cell will also be created within its Secretariat to develop collaboration with experts and relevant institutions. Gender balance will be encouraged in the membership and leadership structure of BTBF.
Mustafa Osman Turan, ambassador of the republic of Türkiye to Bangladesh, has expressed his pleasure about the decision of the seventeen Bangladeshi and Turkish companies to unite their forces for the mutual benefit of both of their countries.
A BTBF delegation is planning to visit Türkiye in September 2022 to meet with the Turkish government and business representatives and to explore opportunities for collaboration.
