March 5th 2025.
On Wednesday, high-ranking officials from Bangladesh and Pakistan came together for talks in Dhaka. The purpose of these discussions was to prepare for a potential visit by Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, in April. This comes as a significant development in the relationship between the two countries, which had experienced a strain under the previous government of Sheikh Hasina.
According to a press release from the ministry, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Pakistan's Additional Secretary, met with Md. Jashim Uddin, the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, at the ministry office. Siddiqui brought with him a letter from Deputy Prime Minister Dar, addressed to Bangladesh's foreign affairs adviser, which he handed over to the Foreign Secretary.
During their meeting, both sides reflected on the constructive discussions that took place between Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in 2024. These discussions were held on the sidelines of the D-8 Summit in Cairo and the 79th UNGA in New York. They also discussed the importance of holding the Foreign Secretary Level Consultations, which have not taken place since 2010, and the Joint Economic Commission, which has not met since 2005.
It was also reported by the Daily Star that Deputy Prime Minister Dar is expected to visit Bangladesh in April of this year. In their discussions, the issue of strengthening cooperation and reducing the trade gap was brought up. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the recent visits of several trade delegations from Pakistan to Bangladesh and emphasized the importance of reciprocal visits from product-specific trade delegations from Bangladesh to Pakistan.
The two sides also touched upon cooperation in other areas such as tourism, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people contacts. They also discussed the issue of forcibly displaced Rohingyas and the need for cooperation in the international forum. The importance of regional and multilateral cooperation through organizations such as SAARC, OIC, and D-8 was also highlighted.
It is worth noting that the last time a foreign minister from Pakistan visited Bangladesh was in 2012, when Hina Rabbani Khar held the position. In 2022, the then foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, attended a D-8 ministerial conference virtually, highlighting the strained diplomatic relations between the two countries during the previous 15 years.
However, as their ties continue to improve, Bangladesh has taken steps to simplify the visa process for Pakistanis, with the aim of strengthening trade and economic relations. Additionally, the two countries are planning to resume direct shipping and flights, which will further facilitate trade and people-to-people contacts. This marks a positive turn in the relationship between Bangladesh and Pakistan, as they work towards building a stronger and more cooperative partnership.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
