Relations between Turkish and Bengali nations have strong historical and cultural roots dating back before the foundation of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The Muslims of South Asia including the Bengalis, have supported the Turkish Independence War. The support extended by the Bengal people is remembered with gratitude.

Respect and admiration for Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Founder of the Republic of Türkiye, is reflected in the epic poem “Kamal Pasha”, written by Kazi Nazrul Islam, National Poet of Bangladesh, in 1921. This poem has been on the curriculum in Bangladesh schools.

One major avenue in Dhaka and another one in Chittagong are named as “Kemal Atatürk Avenue”. A public park in Dhaka is named as ‘‘Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Park’’ and a high school in Feni is named as “Atatürk Model High School”. Turkish language centre in Dhaka Cantonment is named as “Mustafa Kemal Turkish Language Centre”.

Türkiye recognized Bangladesh on 22 February 1974 on the occasion of the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) (formerly Organization of the Islamic Conference) which was held in Lahore. The Turkish Embassy in Dhakka was opened in 1976 and the Embassy of Bangladesh in Ankara in 1981.

H.E. Emine Erdoğan, First Lady of the Republic of Türkiye together with H.E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye visited Bangladesh on 6-7 September 2017 in the aftermath of the Rohingya refugee crisis.

H.E. Abdullah Gül, former President of the Republic of Türkiye visited Bangladesh in 2010. H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, then as Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye visited Bangladesh on 13-14 November 2010. H.E. Binali Yıldırım, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye visited Bangladesh in 2017. H.E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye visited Bangladesh in 2020. H.E. Süleymen Soylu, former Minister of Interior of the Republic of Türkiye visited Bangladesh in 2022.

HE. Mohammed Shahabuddin, President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh visited Türkiye in 2023 and attended the Inauguration Ceremony of H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye. H.E. Sheikh Hasina, former Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh visited Türkiye in 2012. H.E. Md. Touhid Hossain, Advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh visited Türkiye in 2025.

In the aftermath of demonstrations led by university students during the July-August 2024 period, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh on 5 August 2024. Subsequently, the Parliament was dissolved on 6 August 2024, and an Interim Government was established under the leadership of H.E. Professor Muhammad Yunus on 8 August 2024. Parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in February 2026.