Antalya:Turkiye has shown interest in strengthening cooperation with Bangladesh in various sectors, including women's and children's health, climate change mitigation, renewable energy, and eco-friendly product production. This development emerged following a meeting between Dr. Zubaida Rahman, the spouse of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, and Emine Erdogan, Turkiye's First Lady and chairperson of the Zero Waste Foundation.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, during the meeting, Emine Erdogan expressed her willingness to send a team of experts to Bangladesh. These experts would collaborate to address health issues faced by women in coastal and marginalized areas of Bangladesh, exacerbated by climate change.
The discussions, held on the first day of the Bangladesh delegation's participation in the COP31 climate summit, also covered potential bilateral cooperation to combat the impacts of climate change. Emine Erdogan praised the resilience of the Bangladeshi people in facing climate adversities and expressed interest in waste-to-energy production and solar power initiatives.
Another topic of interest was expanding the market for Bangladeshi jute products as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic. Dr. Zubaida Rahman highlighted ongoing government programs aimed at women's empowerment and environmental sustainability, which were praised by Emine Erdogan.
The Rohingya crisis was also a subject of discussion, with Emine Erdogan recalling her 2017 visit to Bangladesh and expressing support for continued humanitarian assistance. The meeting underscored the need for healthcare, education, and basic rights for the Rohingyas until their repatriation.
Emine Erdogan expressed a desire to share Turkiye's experiences in addressing climate change-related health issues with Bangladesh and hopes to visit the country again soon following an invitation from Dr. Zubaida Rahman.