Turkish defence giant Roketsan A.S, a Turkish state-owned enterprise which has strong business links to the Bangladesh armed forces has provided much needed aid in Narayanganj through the Turkish Red Crescent.
Food packages were handed over to 1,000 families in the region.
This is the first time an international or for that matter any arms manufacturing company came to assist disaster-hit people in Bangladesh.
Roketsan has won several lucrative contracts with the Bangladesh military including the supply of Type B guided multiple-launch rocket system (TR-300 Tiger Missile System) for the Bangladesh Army and air defence systems. They also integrated Teber precision guided munitions to Bangladesh Air Force F-7BG and F-7BG1 fighters enabling them to become capable ground strike platforms.
Roketsan may also receive the contract for the Bangladesh Navy’s new generation anti-ship missiles acquisition program. The first integration will be undertaken on the Large Patrol Craft (Missile) class of warships which are being built at the Narayanganj based Dockyard & Engineering Works (DEW). This indicates possibly why Roketsan selected Narayanganj as a symbolic attempt to give back to the community.
Within the next 5 years Bangladesh is likely to become Turkey’s top defence export client. Bangladesh and Turkey have signed a strategic defence cooperation agreement dating back to the 1980s and share similar stance in international matters of common concern.
