A renovated health center at Dhaka University was officially opened in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Wednesday, following a comprehensive refurbishment carried out by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), marking a new milestone in Türkiye-Bangladesh development cooperation.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Chair of the board of trustees of the Ilim Yayma Foundation, Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, TIKA President Abdullah Eren, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Dhaka Ramis Şen, former footballer Mesut Özil, and a large number of Bangladeshi officials, academics and guests.
Speaking at the ceremony, Bilal Erdoğan underlined the strategic importance of Dhaka University for the country, noting that the institution plays a key role in training qualified cadres capable of contributing to Bangladesh’s long-term development. He said that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has made significant advances in economic growth, political influence and regional capacity, enabling it to contribute to both regional and global peace efforts.
Referring to President Erdoğan’s message that "the world is bigger than five,” Bilal Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s call for a more just and inclusive international system, particularly within the framework of the United Nations. He also emphasized that Türkiye and Bangladesh share deep-rooted historical ties based on mutual respect, adding that the two countries have strong potential to further expand cooperation and partnership.
TIKA President Abdullah Eren said Türkiye-Bangladesh relations are grounded in strong historical and cultural foundations and that TIKA has worked to transform this relationship into concrete and sustainable development projects. He noted that nearly 200 projects have been implemented across Bangladesh, covering education, health care, agriculture, administrative infrastructure, and social and cultural cooperation.
Eren also highlighted Türkiye’s increased humanitarian engagement following the displacement of Rohingya Muslims in 2017, pointing out that Bangladesh hosts more than 1 million refugees in Cox’s Bazar, the world’s largest refugee camp. He said Türkiye continues to support Bangladesh through coordinated efforts involving TIKA, the Ministry of Health, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and civil society organizations.
The Dhaka University Health Center had been serving students and staff for many years, but aging infrastructure and limited facilities had reduced the effectiveness of health care delivery. As part of the renovation, TIKA carried out extensive maintenance and modernization works, upgraded examination and service areas, supplied essential medical equipment, and provided an ambulance to strengthen emergency response capacity.
With the project completed, the center now delivers improved health care services free of charge, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to students as well as academic and administrative personnel.