Textiles, Energy, Jute – Turkmenistan and Bangladesh Are Developing a Cooperation Program
The first-ever political consultations between the foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and Bangladesh, held in Ashgabat, yielded concrete economic results. The parties discussed the main vectors of trade and economic cooperation and began coordinating the "Action Program: 2027–2029." The talks were chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Akhmet Gurbanov and Secretary for Bilateral Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, Ambassador Nazrul Islam, who also held a separate meeting with Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov.
According to Bangladeshi diplomats, cooperation in the textile and light industry promises to be a driver of bilateral ties. Bangladesh is one of the world's leading exporters of finished textiles, and Turkmenistan's status as a major producer of high-quality cotton creates a natural basis for joint projects. Pharmaceuticals, in which Ashgabat has expressed interest, was identified as another promising area. Dhaka, in turn, proposed establishing supplies of jute and jute products, ceramics, light industry products, and semiconductor components to Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan, which possesses colossal reserves of natural gas and oil, expressed its readiness to help strengthen Bangladesh's energy security. The talks also touched on potential partnerships in the petrochemical sector and the supply of Turkmen mineral fertilizers for Bangladesh's agro-industrial complex. To realize this potential, the parties considered the idea of creating a Joint Working Group on Trade and Economic Cooperation, and the Bangladeshi side invited Turkmen investors to explore the opportunities offered by its special economic zones.
The three-year cooperation program being developed is intended to lay the legal foundation for a series of intergovernmental documents. These include agreements on mutual investment protection, avoidance of double taxation, visa waivers for holders of diplomatic and service passports, as well as partnerships in tourism, science, culture, and ties between the diplomatic academies of the two countries. Furthermore, the creation of a Bangladesh-Turkmenistan Parliamentary Friendship Group is being discussed.
On the international stage, Ashgabat and Dhaka reaffirmed their commitment to coordination within the UN, the OIC, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Rashid Meredov congratulated his Bangladeshi counterpart on his country's election to the presidency of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and reaffirmed his readiness to exchange high-level visits. The parties agreed to hold the next round of political consultations in Dhaka.
