TV Soaps and Diplomacy as Bangladesh and Türkiye Grow Closer
The first thing you hear is a voice, clear and a little breathless. "Yasmeen! Yasmeen! I have fallen in love…" In a small recording studio in Dhaka, voiceover artist Rubaiya Matin Gity is locked on the screen, matching every blink and breath of a Turkish heroine. It feels intimate. And bigger than TV.
Because these Turkish dramas aren't just beating Indian serials in the ratings. They're changing the vibe between two countries that sit 5,000 kilometers apart. More Turkish signs on restaurant doors in Dhaka. More interest in the language. And yes, warmer handshakes between governments.
The soap effect
Turkish shows have become appointment viewing in Bangladesh. Think sweeping romances, family sagas, Ottoman epics - the full mix. Kara Sevda - Endless Love - is a favorite, and it's not a niche thing. It's a mainstream hit pulling millions.
Behind the scenes, Deepto TV and other channels have built a pipeline to keep the demand fed. "A dedicated team of translators, scriptwriters, voice artists and editors," said Ezaz Uddin Ahmed, who oversees programming at the station that first bet big on Turkish content. Their breakout came back in 2017, and it reset expectations for what could work in prime time.
Politics moved too
This cultural pull sits beside a tense political backdrop. Bangladesh has been run by an interim government since an uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina (movies and tv series) last year. She later fled to India and has resisted extradition, leaving ties between Dhaka and New Delhi on ice.
That context matters. Türkiye and Bangladesh haven't always been in sync - the relationship faltered in 1971 during Bangladesh's independence, and again in 2013 amid executions over wartime crimes - but the arc now is toward cooperation. That's not me guessing; it's what diplomats and academics in Dhaka are saying out loud.
Defense on the table
Here's where it gets practical. Bangladesh is looking beyond China for military supplies, and Türkiye is making a pitch. Ankara's defense industry chief, Haluk Gorgun, visited Dhaka in July. Bangladesh's army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, is expected in Türkiye to talk local production of equipment.
Drones are part of the conversation. Turkish systems have turned up in places from the Caucasus to North Africa, and Dhaka is paying attention. If even part of that cooperation lands, it means training, maintenance, and a longer-term technical relationship - not just one-off purchases.
Language, lifestyle, and a new kind of soft power
The cultural spillover is everywhere. Turkish restaurants keep popping up. Universities and private centers now run language classes. "I have 20 students in a single batch," said Sheikh Abdul Kader (movies and tv series), a trainer and economics lecturer at Jagannath University. "There is growing demand."
And then there's the personal stuff that quietly tells you everything. Business owner Tahiya Islam launched a Turkish-themed clothing line and, inspired by Ottoman traditions, picked up horseback riding. "During the Ottoman era, couples used to go out on horseback," she told me. "Now, my husband rides too - and I even have my own horse."
If you cover TV and media, here's what to watch
- Programming shifts: Broadcasters doubling down on Turkish imports - from historical sagas to modern family dramas - with bigger dubbing and subtitling budgets.
- New talent pipelines: More work for voice artists, translators, and editors as channels try to keep pace with scheduling demands.
- Co-production potential: If political ties keep improving, joint projects or location shoots could be next, especially historical series with regional hooks.
- Audience loyalty: Viewers aren't just sampling; they're sticking with multi-season arcs. That changes ad strategies and syndication value.
Why this matters
Soft power works slowly - through habits, heroes, and household routines. You fall for a character, then the music, then the food, then the language. Before you know it, it's not "foreign" anymore. It's familiar.
Maybe it's just timing. Maybe it's more than that. But taken together - the studio dubs, the packed language classes, the official visits - it looks like Bangladesh and Türkiye are moving closer in ways both governments and audiences can feel. And that's a story you can hear right there in a Dhaka sound booth, one line at a time.
