Türkiye hosts pioneering academic conference on Bangladesh's July uprising and future vision

An international conference titled "Building Bangladesh 2.0 in the Spirit of the July Revolution" commenced today at Istanbul Ticaret University, bringing together scholars, policymakers, and diplomats to analyze Bangladesh’s transformative political trajectory. Organized by the Türkiye-based Center for Policy and Social Resources (CPSR), the two-day event features over 200 research papers from global experts, with keynote speeches by Prof. Dr. Yasin Aktay, former advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Dr. Mahmudur Rahman, editor of Bangladesh’s Daily Amar Desh. The conference aims to explore how the ideals of Bangladesh’s 2024 July Revolution can shape a progressive national vision.

The opening session highlighted the deepening ties between Türkiye and Bangladesh, with Turkish MP Doğan Bekin, Swedish ex-minister Mehmet Kaplan, and Bangladeshi Ambassador to Ankara M. Amanul Haque in attendance. Academics, including vice-chancellors from Bangladeshi universities, joined European and American researchers in panel discussions on governance, economic resilience, and geopolitical strategy. CPSR Chairman Dr. Hafizur Rahman emphasized the event’s role in fostering "a new Bangladesh rooted in the July uprising’s spirit," while also strengthening bilateral intellectual and diplomatic collaboration.

Notably, Istanbul Ticaret University—which previously honored Nobel laureate Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus—provided the platform for this pioneering dialogue. Sessions will continue tomorrow, delving into critical themes such as governance policies, political transformation, institutional reform initiatives, accountability for the trial of mass killings, safeguarding freedom of speech and expression, and pathways to establishing a functional democracy—all central to realizing the July Revolution’s vision of a just and progressive Bangladesh.