Pakistan’s foreign minister, secretary to visit Dhaka in April

Pakistan is making renewed efforts to normalise bilateral relations with Bangladesh, which have remained stagnant for nearly 15 years since the student-led uprising that led to a change in government. While Bangladesh was initially cautious about deepening ties after last August, it is now engaging with Pakistan’s initiative, considering the potential benefits in trade, commerce, and regional integration.

As part of this diplomatic push, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, and Foreign Secretary, Amna Baloch, are scheduled to visit Dhaka in April, with a five-day gap between their arrivals.

A senior official of Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry told Prothom Alo on Thursday that a Foreign Secretary-level meeting between Bangladesh and Pakistan will take place in Dhaka on 17 April.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary, Jashim Uddin, and Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Amna Baloch, will lead their respective delegations. Following this, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain will hold a bilateral meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on 22 April.

Foreign ministry sources stated that the final schedule for the Pakistani delegation’s visit is still being worked out. However, according to the initial plan, both Ishaq Dar and Amna Baloch are expected to pay a courtesy visit to Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin confirmed the upcoming Foreign Secretary-level talks, noting that this will be the first such meeting in nearly 15 years. He emphasised that the discussions will cover all aspects of bilateral relations, including historical unresolved issues.

According to Foreign Ministry officials, the meeting is expected to focus on key areas such as trade and investment, air connectivity, defence cooperation, agricultural collaboration and cultural exchange programmes.

A specialised cultural exchange programme may also be proposed to Pakistan. The last Foreign Secretary-level meeting between the two countries took place in Islamabad in November 2010.

As a result, discussions on potential agreements or renewed commitments will likely continue from that meeting. These topics were reviewed during an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the Foreign Secretary on Thursday.

On the topic of direct flights between Bangladesh and Pakistan, a Foreign Ministry official noted that direct cargo shipping has already begun between the two nations, and visa restrictions have been eased. Trade and commerce are also showing signs of expansion.

Additionally, Fly Jinnah, a Pakistani low-cost airline, is awaiting final approval to begin passenger flights to Bangladesh. Bangladesh has already granted Fly Jinnah permission, and Pakistan’s aviation authority is currently working on finalising its General Sales Agent (GSA) approval.

Pakistan has been actively working to strengthen its relationship with Bangladesh since 5 August. Pakistani prime minister Shahbaz Sharif met with Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York last September and again at the D-8 summit in Cairo last December.

According to sources from an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, Bangladesh maintains that any progress in bilateral relations must address long-standing unresolved issues, including, Pakistan’s unconditional apology for the 1971 war crimes, compensation for war damages, repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, Bangladesh’s rightful share of pre-1971 assets, repayment of foreign aid during the 1970 cyclone in undivided Pakistan.

A senior Bangladeshi diplomat, reflecting the government's stance, told Prothom Alo that Bangladesh is not interested in advancing ties with Pakistan unless these unresolved historical issues are addressed—particularly an official apology for the 1971 genocide committed by the Pakistani military.

During his meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Cairo, Chief Adviser Professor Yunus reiterated Bangladesh’s firm stance on these issues. He emphasised the need for a final resolution, stating, “These issues keep resurfacing. Let us move forward and resolve them once and for all.”