DHAKA:
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Saturday touched down in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka in a landmark visit that seeks to rebuild ties between two brotherly countries.
Dar is the most senior Pakistani official to visit Dhaka since 2012, with Islamabad calling it a “significant milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations”.
Hina Rabbani Khar was the last foreign minister to travel to Dhaka, where she extended an invitation to then prime minister, Sheikh Hasina Wajid, for the D-8 summit. Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh remained tense during Hasina’s 15-year tenure.
The two countries are expected to sign several agreements, including on trade, on Sunday.
While addressing a news conference at Pakistan’s High Commission in Dhaka soon after his arrival, the foreign minister affirmed Pakistan’s wish for a “cooperative and forward-looking” relationship with Bangladesh.
Dar said he wanted to underscore Pakistan’s “strong desire to forge a cooperative and forward-looking relationship with Bangladesh”.
He said it was a “great honour” to be in the Bangladeshi capital at the government’s invitation and expressed his gratitude for the welcome afforded to him and his delegation.
“This evening is special as it brings together a broad spectrum of prominent personalities from politics, academia, business community and media,” he said, adding that he valued the opportunity to interact with them.
He said Pakistan and Bangladesh enjoyed a “multifaceted relationship” that was rooted in shared history, common faith and cultural similarities. “We are two vibrant and dynamic and resilient nations. Our countries are home to the proud people who have faced enormous challenges with dignity and forbearance.”
Dar said the bilateral relationship between the two countries was not only political but also grounded in cultural, spiritual and familial ties that stemmed from “centuries of shared traditions, Islamic heritage, social norms, linguistic connections and literary expressions”.
The foreign minister said the above “threads of commonalities were woven into the very fabric of our two societies”, adding that “notwithstanding the twists and turns of history, the people of Pakistan have fraternal sentiments towards the people of Bangladesh and hold them in the highest esteem. We recognise and respect the sovereign choices of the Bangladeshi nation and believe in a future where our relations are defined by not what divides us but what unites us.”
Earlier, the Foreign Office said in a statement that during the visit, the DPM/FM will hold important meetings with the Bangladeshi leadership, including Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, Adviser for Foreign Affairs Md Touhid Hossain and Adviser for Commerce SK Bashir Uddin.
“Discussions will encompass the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation including regional and international issues of mutual interest,” the statement added.
Pakistan and Bangladesh began sea trade last year, expanding government-to-government commerce in February.
Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan held talks on Thursday in Dhaka, where he agreed to set up joint commissions to boost trade and investment. On Friday, top military commanders from both nations met in Pakistan.
Upon reaching Dhaka, Dar was received at the airport by Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Asad Alam Siam, along with Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider. Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Muhammad Iqbal Khan, and officials from the Pakistan High Commission were also present.
The trip, described as long overdue, had earlier been postponed twice – once in May following heightened Pakistan-India tensions after the Pahalgam attack.
Meetings
The foreign minister first met a delegation of the National Citizen Party (NCP), led by Akhtar Hossain. He praised the NCP leadership’s “vision for reform and social justice” and underlined the importance of greater interaction between the youth of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The NCP members, for their part, briefed Dar on “different facets of countrywide political mobilisation in 2024,” the ministry added. Both sides also discussed ways to promote cultural exchanges in the coming months.
Later, Dar met with a delegation of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, led by Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher, Naib Ameer. Talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations and recent regional developments.
Dar “lauded the courage and steadfastness of the Jamaat leaders and activists in the face of hardships and difficulties,” according to the ministry statement.
DPM also met a delegation of Bangladesh’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The meeting, described as cordial by officials, focused on strengthening bilateral relations “on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.”
Regional cooperation also featured in the talks, with Dar acknowledging Bangladesh’s foundational role in the establishment of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
The two sides also recalled past high-level interactions between Pakistan and Bangladesh, underscoring the importance of continued political dialogue.
