DHAKA: In a recording studio in Dhaka, voiceover artist Rubaiya Matin Gity dubs the latest Turkish soap opera to become a megahit in Bangladesh -- a pop-culture trend that reflects growing ties between the two countries. &quot;Yasmeen! Yasmeen! I have fallen in love...&quot; the 32-year-old actor cried in Bangla, her eyes fixed on the screen playing new episodes of Turkish drama &quot;Kara Sevda&quot;, or &quot;Endless Love&quot;, which has captivated millions of viewers in the South Asian nation. Sign of changeThe success of Turkish shows, challenging the once-unrivalled popularity of Indian television dramas, is the sign of a change that extends far beyond Bangladeshi screens. It mirrors shifting alliances and expanding diplomatic, trade, and defense relations between the two Muslim-majority nations, 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles) apart. More Turkish restaurants are opening in Bangladesh, and there is a general interest in learning the language, coupled with rekindled warmth between the two governments, set against increasingly fractious relations between Dhaka and New Delhi. An interim government has led Bangladesh since an uprising last year toppled the autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina -- who fled to old ally India, where she has resisted extradition, turning relations between the two neighbors icy. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;New opportunities&#39;&nbsp;</h2>Ties between Ankara and Dhaka have not always been smooth, but they &quot;are growing stronger now,&quot; said Md Anwarul Azim, professor of international relations at the University of Dhaka. &quot;The relationship faltered twice,&quot; he said, first in 1971 when Bangladesh separated from Pakistan, and then in 2013, when Dhaka hanged men accused of war crimes during the independence struggle. Bilateral trade remains modest, but Azim noted that T&uuml;rkiye offers Bangladesh an alternative to its reliance on China as its main weapons supplier. Ankara&#39;s defense industry boss Haluk Gorgun visited Dhaka in July, and Bangladesh&#39;s army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman is expected in T&uuml;rkiye later this month to discuss the production of military equipment. &lsquo;Focused on further deepening&rsquo; tiesBangladesh has also shown interest in Turkish drones. Dhaka&#39;s interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, said he was &quot;focused on further deepening&quot; ties with Ankara, after meeting a Turkish parliamentary delegation this month. &quot;Bangladesh stands ready to work hand in hand with Turkiye to unlock new opportunities for our people,&quot; Yunus said. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Classes, clothes, and horses&nbsp;</h2>Alongside formal ties, cultural links are also deepening. Ezaz Uddin Ahmed, 47, head of programming at the channel that pioneered Turkish dramas in Bangladesh, said that Deepto TV has &quot;a dedicated team of translators, scriptwriters, voice artists and editors&quot; working to meet the growing demand. Its breakout hit came in 2017 with a historical epic that eclipsed Indian serials and &quot;surpassed all others&quot; in terms of popularity, Ahmed said. Riding on that success, Deepto TV and other Bangladeshi broadcasters snapped up more Turkish imports -- from Ottoman sagas to contemporary family dramas. Interest in Turkish language&nbsp;Interest in the Turkish language has followed suit, with several leading institutions now offering courses. &quot;I have 20 students in a single batch,&quot; said Sheikh Abdul Kader, a trainer and economics lecturer at Jagannath University. &quot;There is growing demand.&quot; For some, the love for all things Turkish doesn&#39;t end there. Business owner Tahiya Islam, 33, has launched a Turkish-themed clothing line, and inspired by Ottoman traditions, even took up horseback riding.&quot;During the Ottoman era, couples used to go out on horseback,&quot; she said. &quot;Now, my husband rides too -- and I even have my own horse.&quot;

Bangladesh

More Turkish restaurants are opening in Bangladesh, and there is a general interest in learning the language, coupled with rekindled warmth between the two governments, set against increasingly fractious relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.

TV soaps and diplomacy as Bangladesh and Türkiye grow closer

ISTANBUL: T&uuml;rkiye on Friday appointed an ambassador to Syria, whose new rulers it has supported since they came to power in December, a diplomatic source told AFP. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan named his deputy, Nuh Yilmaz, as T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s ambassador to Damascus, the source said. Until now, T&uuml;rkiye had been represented in its southern neighbour by a charge d&#39;affaires. The appointment of a close associate of the foreign minister is being interpreted as an important diplomatic signal. Yilmaz has served as deputy foreign minister since May 2024, said the ministry. Like Fidan, Yilmaz hails from the National Intelligence Organization and is fluent in English, having held several posts in Washington and taught in the United States. Ankara and Damascus had severed diplomatic ties under Syria&#39;s toppled ruler Bashar al-Assad Since December, the two countries have been strengthening their ties and cooperation, both economically and militarily.&nbsp;

Middle East

Türkiye has appointed an ambassador to Syria, whose new rulers it has supported since they came to power in December

Türkiye appoints ambassador to Syria

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: At least 14 migrants killed after an inflatable boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Bodrum in Turkey&rsquo;s Mugla province on Friday, Turkish authorities said. The vessel sank near Ortakent in the Aegean Sea after departing from the nearby Bitez area earlier in the day. According to the Mugla Governor&rsquo;s Office, the boat had 18 migrants on board, reportedly including Afghan nationals. About ten minutes after setting out, the vessel began taking on water and quickly sank.&nbsp; One survivor swam for nearly six hours before reaching shore and alerting authorities, while another was rescued on Celebi Island, the coast guard confirmed. &ldquo;Additional Coast Guard boats and a helicopter were deployed to support the operations,&rdquo; Turkish officials said. &ldquo;The bodies of 14 migrants were recovered.&nbsp; Search and rescue efforts for other missing migrants continue under the coordination of the Coast Guard, using four boats, a dive team, and a helicopter.&rdquo; The rescue mission involved four Turkish Coast Guard vessels, a diving team, and an aerial unit that responded after receiving a distress call from the 112 Emergency Call Center.&nbsp; Two migrants were rescued, and operations are ongoing for two others still unaccounted for. It is not clear whether the migrants were attempting to reach the nearby Greek island of Kos, a common destination for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.&nbsp; The tragedy comes just days after Turkey launched a nationwide crackdown on human trafficking networks, detaining over 160 suspects accused of facilitating illegal migration.

Europe

At least 14 migrants, reportedly including Afghans, drowned after a boat capsized off Turkey’s Bodrum coast. Two survivors were rescued as authorities continue searching amid a nationwide crackdown on human trafficking networks

Articles tagged with "Türkiye"

TV soaps and diplomacy as Bangladesh and Türkiye grow closer

Türkiye appoints ambassador to Syria

14 migrants killed as boat capsizes off Türkiye's Bodrum