A significant bilateral meeting took place at the headquarters of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) in Istanbul between Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan and TFF president Ibrahim Ethem Hacosmanolu today. Photo : Collected

DHAKA, July 4, 2025 (BSS) - A significant bilateral meeting took place at the headquarters of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) in Istanbul between Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan and TFF president Ibrahim Ethem Hacosmanolu, said a press release.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the development of football. The Sports Adviser highlighted the recent resurgence of football in Bangladesh, including the inclusion of players of Bangladeshi descent in the national team and ongoing efforts to establish a sustainable football ecosystem. 

He noted the strong fan base of the Turkish national team in Bangladesh and proposed organizing a friendly match between the two countries as a way to further strengthen sports-related ties between the people of the two countries.

The TFF president warmly welcomed the proposal and stated that, if all goes well, a friendly match between the women’s national teams of Bangladesh and Turkey could be organized as early as August. He also assured comprehensive support for the development of Bangladesh’s football infrastructure, including technical assistance, training of coaches and referees, sports medicine, and experience-sharing initiatives.

At one point in the discussion, the Sports Adviser praised Turkey’s bold and humanitarian leadership in the Muslim world—particularly acknowledging President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an’s role.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Adviser invited the TFF president to attend the upcoming Global Youth Summit to be held in Bangladesh in September.

Both parties expressed their confidence that this meeting marks the beginning of a new chapter in Bangladesh- Turkey sports cooperation, which will foster deeper and more productive engagements in the days ahead.