Curbing militancy: Turkey wants to work with Bangladesh

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım today phoned his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina and expressed his country’s interest in working together to combat the menace of militancy.

During the 15-minute-long conversation this evening, the Turkish PM also expressed his grave concern over the Sylhet militant issue, sources at the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The Turkish premier also conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved family members of the civilians who have died in the three-day-long army-led joint “Operation Twilight” at Atia Mahal located in Sylhet's Dakshin Surma upazila.

Reiterating her government's zero tolerance policy against terrorism, the Bangladesh premier said some derailed people are defaming Islam in the name of religion, reports the state run new agency, BSS.

"They are destroying Islamic culture and heritage in the name of religion," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also said Bangladesh condemned the last year's coup attempt in Turkey to overthrow the present government there.

"We always uphold democracy and peace," she said.

She invited the Turkish premier to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.

At the outset of the conversation, the Turkish prime minister exchanged greetings with his Bangladesh counterpart and congratulated her on the occasion of the 47th Independence and National Day of Bangladesh.

He also mentioned that the traditional and historic relations with Bangladesh which were reciprocated by Sheikh Hasina.