Bangladesh keen to sign FTA with Turkey: Tofail

Bangladesh is keen to sign free trade agreement (FTA) with Turkey to boost bilateral trade, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said yesterday.

He spoke at the “Turkey-Bangladesh Business Forum and B2B Meeting” in the capital jointly organised by Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Bangladeshi products do not get duty- and quota-free access to the Turkish market as the country is not in European Union, he said. Bangladesh's export to the Turkey will get a boost if the FTA is signed, he said.

He said Bangladeshi products have a good demand in the Turkish market. In 2016-17, Bangladesh exported goods worth $631 million to the Turkey against the import of $212.30 million.

The TIM and FBCCI inked a memorandum of understanding to strengthen trade and investment on the occasion. FBCCI's First Vice President Sheikh Fazle Fahim and Turkish Exporters' Assembly member of sector council Basaran Bayrak signed the deal.

Turkish Ambassador in Dhaka Devrim Ozturk and FBCCI President Shafiul Islam Mahiuddin, among others, also spoke.