Bangladesh Army Chief returns from official visit to Turkey to bolster defense ties
Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman returned to Dhaka on Saturday, concluding a five-day official visit to Turkey aimed at bolstering bilateral defense and military cooperation. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed his arrival in a social media update late Saturday evening.
During his visit, General Waker-Uz-Zaman paid tribute to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey, by laying a wreath at the Anıtkabir mausoleum. The itinerary included a series of high-level diplomatic and military engagements, with the Army Chief holding separate meetings with Turkey’s Minister of National Defense, the Chief of the General Staff, the Commander of the Land Forces, and the director of the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. He also engaged in discussions with representatives from the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries.
The Army Chief was formally welcomed with a guard of honor during his visit to the headquarters of the Turkish Land Forces. According to the ISPR, the discussions centered on enhancing existing friendly relations, advancing bilateral defense collaboration, and expanding cooperation in military training and defense technology. Both nations expressed a mutual interest in deepening professional ties and sharing expertise between their respective armed forces to enhance operational capabilities.
As part of his official mission, General Waker-Uz-Zaman toured several of Turkey’s leading defense and military technology facilities. He reviewed the country’s defense production infrastructure, research and development initiatives, and innovative technological planning. These site visits provided an opportunity to discuss potential avenues for future collaboration in defense manufacturing and capacity building.
Defense analysts suggest that the visit is poised to strengthen the strategic partnership between Dhaka and Ankara, particularly in the realms of military technology, professional training, and collaborative industrial defense development.
