Quite unexpectedly he bursts into a melodious Nazrul Geeti: Nohey nohey priyo. Having memorised the words in Bangla and translated the meaning, he sings with ease. As he points out, there are striking similarities in the melody of the Turkish song Uskudara Gideriken/ and the Nazrul song Shukno Patar Nupur Paye. "I think I am able to capture the essence of Nazrul, despite the language barrier. Music speaks a universal language. First of all you are greatly touched with the melody then you gradually build an interest in the words. You try to grasp the meaning."

Ergin traces his interest in Nazrul to a book on the maestro. Apparently, before he came to Dhaka a former Ambassador from Turkey Kemal Ozcan Davaz, gave him a small book, called Ataturk, Bangladesh and Kazi Nazrul Islam. In this book he read about the poem, Amar Kemal Pasha, which the National Poet Nazrul wrote on Kemal Ataturk in 1922. Recalls Ergin: "I was very impressed with the poem Nazrul wrote about Ataturk. I built a deep respect for him and started to listen to his songs."

The cultural scenario in Dhaka holds Ergin in its grip. As he says, he and his wife are impressed by "the richness of the Bangladeshi culture--be it music, dancing or fine arts." Does the language pose a problem? Not really, for according to Ergin, " Though I can't speak the language, I can sing Bangla songs because I have a musical ear. If you have a strong musical ear, I think it makes it easier to pick up the language properly."

Ergin is loquacious about Bangladesh, which he says is culturally very rich. "When a country is rich in culture, it is also rich in spirit. Bangladeshi people are very deep once you approach them they are very hospitable and spiritual. That is what we Turks are like. In that sense there is quite a similarity," he says.

His deep interest in music goes back to his childhood. Beginning at the age of eight with mandolin classes in Ankara, Turkey, he studied music and guitar playing in England at a later stage. Later on, when he was back at his Ankara College he was invited to join a band. That is how, at the age of 16, he ventured into singing and playing the guitar.

Now he enjoys what he calls "the oldies but goldies of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s." However, despite his passion for music, he says that this art form is basically a hobby and he is first a career diplomat.

He is full of praise for the talented folk singer Farida Parveen. In fact, he calls her sister because his name Ferit, a modernisation of Farid, is the masculine form of Farida. Singers such as Farida, says Ergin, sometimes perform at musical soirees organised by diplomats. He also remembers singing together with Shaheen Samad at a private function.

In addition to pop music, Ergin plays and sings Turkish folk music. He is also interested in jazz, which he terms as "the zenith of pop music."

What's next? He will retire in due course, but as he says, "One never retires from music."