Today is the first anniversary of the heinous coup attempt of 15 July 2016, which claimed 250 lives and left more than 2000 people wounded as the worst act of terror in the history of the Turkish Republic. The treacherous putschists hiding in the Turkish military, linked to the Fetullah Gulen Terrorist Organisation (FETO) displayed a horrifying brutality against their own people and they attempted to overthrow the democratically elected government together with the President and the constitutional order. These so-called soldiers massacred the civilians from all ages who bravely defended democracy; their tanks crushed these innocent people, along with their attempt to assassinate the President and the Prime Minister. They used fighter jets to bomb the Turkish Parliament, the Presidential Compound, the National Intelligence Headquarters, Special Forces Headquarters in an effort to subdue the resistance against them. Yet, thanks to the resolve of the Turkish state acting in unity with its people, the heinous coup attempt was foiled and the democratic regime of Turkey was saved at the cliff edge. The legitimate government and people of Turkey are committed to preserving and defending democracy, which was also acclaimed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her solidarity message to our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the heinous coup attempt.

Even on the night of 15 July 2016, it was obvious that Fetullah Gulen and his disciples were behind this bloody attempt. His desire to take control of the Turkish State and to reinstitute the regime according to his perverted religious ethos was no secret in Turkey. For more than 30 years, he directed his followers to infiltrate all critical state organs, such as the police, the judiciary and the armed forces. The disciples of Gulen believe that he is the "Messiah" and that they are the "golden generation". Their loyalty is to him only, making them violate any legal, religious or ethical codes in order to advance the interests of this group. Cloaking a sinister and heinous agenda, Gulen has formed a broad network of schools, NGOs and businesses. It has concealed its main desire by the concepts of “moderate Islam”, “interreligious dialogue” and “tolerance”; and seems that it has unfortunately succeeded in deceiving millions of people not just in our country but all around the world.  There are more than 800 education facilities owned or operated by FETO abroad. What we face is not a benign civic education movement as some circles try hard to portray. What happened in Turkey one year ago is a reminder of what this terrorist organization may be capable of doing in any country that it operates.

There are 78 ongoing court cases, as well as many extensive administrative, criminal and judicial investigations regarding the coup attempt. Prosecutors have gathered crucial evidence pointing to the unmistakable imprint of FETO behind this heinous plot.

The presence of a number of FETO-affiliated civilians at the headquarters of the putschists, the testimonies of thousands of military staff, the prevalence of encrypted communication systems amongst plotters all prove the involvement of the Gulenists in the coup attempt. Our Government rightfully takes necessary and proportionate measures to suppress and eventually defeat this imminent threat by keeping the right balance between freedoms and security needs. We are determined to fight such enemies of democracy through democracy.

In these critical times, we need support and encouragement from our friends. Prime Minister Hasina’s message to our President Erdogan, was not only the symbol of the eternal fraternity and friendship between Turkey and Bangladesh but also the ultimate testimony of the commitment of Bangladesh to democracy and rule of law. The people of Turkey will always appreciate and remember this support as they do for the invaluable assistance provided by the Bengali people during the Turkish War of Independence. Turkey strongly supports Prime Minister Hasina’s zero tolerance policy against terrorism and militancy. Our Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has expressed our will to work together with Bangladesh in order to curb terrorism and militancy in his latest phone conversation with Prime Minister Hasina on the occasion of Bangladesh's 47th Independence and National Day. With this understanding, we are working diligently with the Bangladeshi government to take necessary measures against any types and manifestations of terrorism including the activities of FETO, which is recognized as a terrorist organisation by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), both of which Bangladesh is a member. Unfortunately, this terrorist organisation continues to work for its clandestine agenda in many countries including Bangladesh. We attach utmost importance to Bangladesh’s support in keeping any FETO-affiliated individual and institution away from Bangladeshi soil. As we rigorously work with our Bangladeshi counterparts in our common fight against terrorism, we expect final concrete steps from the Bangladeshi Government in terms of eliminating all the activities of FETO and its affiliates in the country.

Turkish people from all backgrounds and political views resisted and displayed an historic example of solidarity against the 15 July coup attempt. With respect to our martyrs, 15 July is observed as the Democracy and National Unity Memorial Day in Turkey. On the occasion of this meaningful day, I pay tribute to Turkish and other martyrs all around the world including the Freedom Fighters of Bangladesh, who fell whilst protecting their countries and democracy; and I express my gratitude to all the veterans who fought for freedom and democracy. We will never forget their bravery and legacy.

The writer is ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh