Bangladesh and Pakistan look to enhance their relationships
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, visited Bangladesh from August 23 to 24, 2023, at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart. The visit was aimed at strengthening bilateral ties for the mutual benefit of the two countries' peoples.
During his stay, Dar held a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser, Touhid Hossain, in Dhaka on August 24, 2023. Both sides affirmed their mutual commitment to enhancing cooperation in all potential areas, including trade, investment, agriculture, education, health, energy, connectivity, people-to-people contact, culture, tourism, and disaster management.
The meeting took place in a spirit of warmth and goodwill, reflecting the brotherly relations between the two countries. The adviser underscored the importance of enhancing economic and commercial engagement to fully leverage each other's complementarities.
One of the significant outcomes of the meeting was a signing ceremony. An Agreement on the Abolition of Visa for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders, a Cultural Exchange Programme, and four MoUs on cooperation on Trade, between News Agencies, Foreign Service Academies, and Think Tanks of the two countries were signed.
Pakistan also offered to train the hockey team from Bangladesh and announced the launch of the 'Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor,' under which 500 scholarships will be awarded to Bangladeshi students for higher studies in Pakistan over the next five years. One-quarter of these scholarships will be awarded in the field of medicine.
Moreover, Ishaq Dar conveyed Pakistan's readiness to provide advanced medical treatment, including limb replacement for 40 individuals, including students injured during the July Uprising in Bangladesh.
Both sides also discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest. They called for holding Israel accountable for its war crimes and stressed the establishment of a viable, sovereign Palestinian state on the basis of its 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Bangladesh side emphasised the importance of unlocking the untapped potential across all sectors. They also called for the early resolution of long-standing historic issues, including a formal official apology for the genocide committed by Pakistan in 1971, division of assets, transfer of foreign aid that was meant for the cyclone victims of 1970, repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, and the resolution of other outstanding issues to establish a solid foundation for enduring and forward-looking bilateral relations.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, expressing hope for deepened engagement and stronger bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Both sides reiterated the importance of strengthening cooperation in SAARC, OIC, the United Nations, and other multilateral forums to promote the shared objectives for peace and development.
In August 2023, Pakistan's high representative, specifically Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, visited Bangladesh, and during the official visit, agreements on enhancing bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, were concluded. Both sides expressed hope that stronger bilateral relations would contribute positively to peace, stability, and prosperity in South Asia and beyond.
The visit by Ishaq Dar marks a significant step towards strengthening the already cordial relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The two countries look forward to continued cooperation and mutual growth in the years to come.
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