Barely 24 hours after BNP chairman Tariq Rahman took over as Bangladesh’s new Prime Minister, he had an unusual guest. Bilal Erdogan, son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was the first to call on him in Dhaka. Bilal's visit, which was previously unannounced, reflects Turkey's growing influence in Dhaka.
Bilal was accompanied by Abdullah Eren, president of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency. One of the important agendas was a formal meeting with Rahman. According to Bangladeshi media, they are expected to discuss in detail cooperation between the two country and Turkey’s assistance in the education and health sectors.
He also plans to visit the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, a visit that many think is significant, considering Turkey’s promotion of religious groups in Bangladesh and Bilal Erdogan will visit the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar.
Though China remains Bangladesh’s military supporter, Turkey is seeking to increase its involvement in Dhaka, thereby increasing its influence in South Asian geopolitics. Turkey also wants to get its share in the Bangladeshi defence market, thereby challenging China’s near-monopoly on Dhaka’s military supply.
Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, Turkey has been working to cosy up to Dhaka, and 2025 was an instrumental year in its mission. Ankara-Dhaka relations reached a new level in 2025, especially in defence and security cooperation. As per analysts, this cooperation manifested as a transition from an operational arms trade relationship to a comprehensive, strategically important partnership.