After nearly 15 years, the foreign secretaries of Bangladesh and Pakistan met in Dhaka this past April. Just nine days later, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was scheduled to visit Dhaka.
But the trip was postponed at the last moment due to Pakistan’s tensions with India over Kashmir. Finally, Ishaq Dar is set to arrive in Dhaka on a three-day visit this coming Saturday.
The April meeting of the two foreign secretaries was seen as the first step toward reviving ties after one and a half decades of stagnation. Dar’s upcoming trip signals the next step, deepening this revival at the political level.
Dar’s visit will mark the third arrival of a Pakistani cabinet member in Bangladesh since the country’s political transition after August last year. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Dhaka in July, while Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan arrived just last Wednesday.
Diplomatic sources said that during his three-day visit, Dar will also exchange views with political leaders in Bangladesh. As part of this, he is expected to meet BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her residence in Gulshan, and also hold talks with senior leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told this correspondent that on the second day of his trip, Sunday morning, Ishaq Dar will hold both a one-on-one and a delegation-level meeting with Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain.
The roughly two-hour meeting is expected to finalise the signing of five to six agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries.
The agreements include a deal to abolish visas for government and diplomatic passport holders. The finalised MoUs cover: establishing a Joint Working Group on trade, cultural exchanges, cooperation between the two foreign service academies, collaboration between the state news agencies, and cooperation between the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and Pakistan’s Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI).
On Sunday afternoon, Ishaq Dar will pay a courtesy call on Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Diplomatic sources said that during his three-day visit, Dar will also exchange views with political leaders in Bangladesh. As part of this, he is expected to meet BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her residence in Gulshan, and also hold talks with senior leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Three unresolved issues on the table
Discussions will cover a wide range of bilateral issues, including trade, investment, connectivity, agriculture, and easing people-to-people movement. Building on the momentum of the foreign secretaries’ meeting, Bangladesh is expected to stress mutual respect, understanding, and shared interests at the ministerial level.
Officials noted, however, that for relations to move forward, three unresolved historical issues must also be addressed which are Pakistan’s formal apology for the 1971 genocide, the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, and Bangladesh’s rightful share in undivided assets.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain told Prothom Alo, “Like with many other countries, we are trying to establish a normal relationship with Pakistan, focusing on trade, investment, and facilitating people’s movement. In the past, an unnecessary atmosphere of hostility was created. We have moved away from that. But while seeking normal ties, the three unresolved issues remain on the table.”
On the second day of his visit, Dar will also attend a breakfast meeting with senior representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), as well as business and investment stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.
Focus on trade
Bangladesh and Pakistan are placing special emphasis on trade and commerce to advance relations. Following the Dar–Touhid meeting, an MoU will be signed to form a Joint Working Group between the two trade ministries. This group, led by additional secretaries, will work systematically to expand business and investment.
On the second day of his visit, Dar will also attend a breakfast meeting with senior representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), as well as business and investment stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.
Direct cargo ships sailing between the two countries has already begun. Progress has also been made in removing visa barriers. Pakistan’s low-cost airline Fly Jinnah has been granted approval to operate flights to Bangladesh, and another Pakistani carrier, Air Sial, has also received clearance to launch direct services.
Upcoming JEC meeting
The last Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting between Bangladesh and Pakistan was held in 2005. Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is scheduled to visit Dhaka this September or October to attend the next JEC meeting. Bangladesh will be led by Economic Affairs Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed.
Foreign ministry sources added that Pakistan has invited Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain, and Home Secretary Osman Gani to visit Islamabad.