Business Habit

Bangladesh is currently exporting pharmaceuticals to 140 countries worldwide, Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain announced on Monday. The government is committed to expanding this number further by extending full support to private pharmaceutical companies.

Turkey has expressed its willingness to assist Bangladesh in establishing a domestic defense manufacturing industry. Visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said there is significant potential to expand cooperation in defense, industry, and trade as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.

Speaking at a joint press conference following a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries, he noted that Bangladesh–Turkey trade currently stands at around $1.3 billion, with both sides discussing initiatives to increase it to $2 billion. He highlighted defense industries as one of the key areas for deeper collaboration.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Khalilur Rahman emphasized that Bangladesh seeks friendly relations with other nations while safeguarding its national interests, adding that the country believes it has friends and partners abroad, not masters.

As part of its goal of building a self-reliant defense industry, Bangladesh’s interim government decided in November last year to establish a military economic zone. The initiative aims to produce drones, cyber technologies, weapons, and ammunition for military and paramilitary forces, with plans to export defense products in the future. The project is expected to require an investment of approximately Tk 15,000 crore over the long term.

Turkey has indicated its interest in supporting Bangladesh in achieving these objectives. Additionally, Ankara reaffirmed its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya population and supporting efforts for their repatriation.

Following the ministerial-level talks, Bangladesh and Turkey signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cultural exchange and heritage preservation.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has been elected as a director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) after securing the highest number of votes in the club category during the board election held on Saturday.
Voting took place from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the BCB Board Room adjacent to the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Vote counting concluded at around 6:00 pm, following which the results were announced.
A total of 16 candidates contested in the club category, with 12 being elected as directors. Alongside Tamim, the successful candidates were Masuduzzaman, Rafiqul Islam Babu, Yasir Abbas, Israfil Khasru, Saeed Ibrahim Ahmed, Shahnian Tanim, Fahim Sinha, Yasir Faisal, Asif Rabbani, Dr. Mahbub Shamim, and Sakef Ahmed Salam.