In these days when autumn is slowly starting to be felt in Istanbul, on a windy afternoon, we met with Consul General of Bangladesh Mohammed Nore-Alam at the breathtaking Camlica Hill overlooking a panoramic view of Istanbul.
He began by saying: “The city of Istanbul offers an atmosphere encompassing a splendid blend of tradition and modernity. The peaceful coexistence of Middle Eastern and Western cultures and ways of living have made the city a wonderful place to live. Coming from the multicultural city of New York to another diverse city like Istanbul is surely rewarding for any diplomat.”
“In that sense, I consider myself fortunate to represent my country, Bangladesh, in this historic city and have the opportunity to serve our people living in and around. Apart from some initial struggle with children’s education and accommodation issues, I am pretty well settled here now,” he added.
Therefore, we can say that Istanbul has become a home for Nore-Alam. The commonalities between Türkiye and Bangladesh, which facilitated the adaptation process, have made it quite easy for him.
“Our two countries are linked by historical ties, mutual understanding, friendship and Muslim fraternity. Both our societies nurture identical values, traditions and practices. Like our people, Turkish people are also very hospitable and welcoming to foreigners. During my interaction with Turkish people and dignitaries over the last year and a half, I have experienced a sense of genuine love and feelings Turkish people hold for the people of Bangladesh. Such resemblance and similarity, alongside the warmth and hospitality of our Turkish brothers and sisters, have made me feel at home in Istanbul,” he elaborated.
In this city and country where he feels at home, Nore-Alam closely follows elements of Turkish culture and possesses profound knowledge in this regard. For instance, he is deeply fascinated by the magic of meditation performed by the whirling dervishes, a form of dance where they spin to let go of their ego and worldly desires, known as “sema.”
He is also deeply inspired by the 13th-century Islamic poet, scholar and Sufi philosopher Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi.
“Türkiye has a very rich cultural heritage. During my stay in Istanbul, I encountered numerous intriguing cultural practices in Türkiye. To name one such distinctive edifying practice is the ‘whirling dervishes.’ In fact, the great Anatolian philosopher, poet and mystic Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi had significant influence and contribution in propagating ‘Sufism’ in our region. Even today, Mevlana has a good number of followers in Bangladesh,” he said.
Nore-Alam’s love for Turkish music began long before his diplomatic career started.
“Türkiye has quite a good assortment of music covering every genre. I open myself to all styles of music, including folk, pop, fusion, etc. However, contemporary music is of particular interest. I do not specifically follow any Turkish artist, though I find the songs of Tarkan mesmerizing,” he explained.
Like many visitors to Türkiye, he also enjoys the delights of Turkish cuisine. Already, it is well-known that döner and dürüm kebab are quite popular in Bangladesh. Therefore, getting accustomed to other delights of Turkish cuisine was not at all difficult for him. Additionally, Nore-Alam is a true tea enthusiast.
“I love Turkish food a lot. During my earlier postings in Geneva and New York, I often visited Turkish restaurants to have the palate of world-famous Turkish cuisine. Over here in Istanbul, I have tried gözleme, menemen, adana kebab, Iskender, döner, dürüm, baklava, künefe and many more. Menemen is my favorite dish. My wife and I often cook it at our residence. Worth mentioning I can’t spend even an hour without Türk çayı (Turkish tea). I am just in love with it,” he said.
He shared that Turkish TV series have been indispensable companions in his cultural exploration.
“I am a fan of Turkish TV series. I often used to watch “Muhteşem Yüzyıl” (The Magnificent Century”) while I was in Bangladesh. It was dubbed in Bangla as Sultan Suleiman and shown on Bangladeshi TV channel. Other Turkish serials such as ‘Diriliş Ertuğrul’ or ‘Resurrection Ertuğrul,’ ‘Woman,’ and ‘Fatmagül'ün Suçu Ne’ (‘What is Fatmagül’s crime?’) are also very popular in Bangladesh. Watching these Turkish serials, many Bangladeshis have been inspired to visit historic places in Türkiye,” he said.
During his time in Türkiye, Nore-Alam embarked on a profound cultural journey by exploring various cities.
“Over the past year and a half, I have been to many cities in Türkiye, including Ankara, Balıkesir, Bursa, Cappadocia, Izmir, Çanakkale and many more. Among these, Cappadocia will remain on my all-time favorite list. I have been very fascinated by its otherworldly landscapes and fairytale scenes. The hot-air balloon ride over spectacular rock formations, valleys and fairy chimneys has been a jaw-dropping, unforgettable experience for me,” he said.
“I became emotional when I visited the Gallipoli war cemetery near Çanakkale and learned that many warriors from our region are resting in eternal peace over there. My favorite place in Istanbul is the Sultanahmet area, where I get an impression of Ottoman supremacy and architecture. I have a penchant for nature; I like the serene beauty of Çamlica Hill and the breathtaking view of Istanbul from there,” he added.
We often hear that learning Turkish can be a challenging task. For Nore-Alam, pronouncing many Turkish words, especially those with special Turkish characters, has been quite difficult.
“On my arrival at Istanbul International Airport, I was greeted with the words – ‘Hoş Geldiniz’ (welcome). Even after a year, I find difficulty in pronouncing many Turkish words, especially the ones with special Turkish characters,” he elaborated.
He highlighted that many of the cultural influences he mentioned between the two countries are proof of the strong bond shared by Bangladesh and Türkiye. For this, Türkiye has become a cherished destination for many Bangladeshi tourists in recent years, according to him.
“Given that Türkiye has so many historical and religious places and symbols of interest, I believe more Bangladeshis might find it worth visiting. I am pretty sure the existing mutual understanding and goodwill between our two brotherly peoples will encourage more Bangladeshis to visit Türkiye in the days ahead,” he remarked.
