Turkey expands influence in Bangladesh with defence industry plans, support to extremists

After
Pakistan, it looks like Turkey is also looking to expand its strategic footprint in Bangladesh following the ouster of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

In an unprecedented move, a top Turkish defence official is expected in Dhaka for an eight-day visit starting July 8, signalling that the two nations are looking to expand their military partnership.

Economic Times reported that Haluk Gorgun, head of Turkey’s Defence Industry Agency (SSB), will visit Dhaka and meet the chief of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus. He is also expected to meet army chief Gen Waqar-uz-Zaman, navy chief Admiral M Nazmul Hasan and air force chief Air Chief Marshal Hassan Mahmud Khan.

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the country’s primary investment promotion agency, is planning to establish defence industrial complexes in Chittagong and Narayanganj in collaboration with Turkish defence firms.

BIDA executive chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun recently completed a five-day trip to Turkey.

Foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain, who spoke at a conference during a visit to Turkey in April, had stressed that Bangladesh sought a reliable partner in aerospace technology, and cooperation with Turkey would be mutually beneficial.

Hossain met with Turkish Aerospace president and CEO Mehmet Demirolu on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025, where they discussed potential cooperation.

Turkish intelligence supporting Islamists in Bangladesh

Previously, reports indicated that Turkish intelligence agencies are allegedly
providing financial and logistical support to Islamist groups in Bangladesh, particularly the radical outfit Jamaat-e-Islami, raising concerns about India’s national security.

Intelligence sources claim that Turkey’s support extends beyond ideological alignment to include direct financial assistance.

A notable example is the renovation of Jamaat’s office in Dhaka’s Moghbazar, allegedly funded by entities linked to Turkish intelligence, suggesting a deliberate effort to bolster the group’s organisational and infrastructural capabilities.

In a concerning development, Turkish authorities are said to have facilitated visits by Bangladeshi Islamist leaders and student activists, including Sadiq Qayam, to Turkish arms manufacturing facilities. Intelligence suggests these visits may aim to provide access to military expertise and potentially weapon supplies.