Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Dhaka on Saturday for an official two-day trip, marking the first state visit by a foreign minister to Bangladesh in 13 years, and kicked off his itinerary by engaging the country’s political stakeholders in meetings.
Ever since a popular uprising in Bangladesh saw Sheikh Hasina’s government being toppled in August of last year, there has been a thaw in ties between Islamabad and Dhaka, with trade and bilateral relations seeing a marked improvement.
According to a press release by the FO, Dar arrived in Dhaka today “on a landmark official visit from August 23-24” on the invitation of Bangladesh’s government.
He was received by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam, High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh Imran Haider, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan Muhammad Iqbal Khan and officials of the Pakistan High Commission, it said.
The press release added, “During the visit, the deputy prime minister will hold important meetings with the Bangladeshi leadership, including Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, Adviser for Foreign Affairs Mr Md Touhid Hossain, and Adviser for Commerce Mr SK Bashir Uddin.
“Discussions will encompass the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation including regional and international issues of mutual interest.”
FM Dar received a delegation of the National Citizen Party (NCP), led by General Secretary Akhtar Hossain. He appreciated the NCP leadership’s vision for reform and social justice and emphasised the need for greater interaction between the youth of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The delegation members apprised FM Dar on different facets of countrywide political mobilisation in 2024. The FO said the two sides also discussed possibilities to promote cultural exchanges between Pakistan and Bangladesh in the days ahead.
The deputy PM also held a meeting with a delegation of Bangladesh’s Jamaat-i-Islami, led by Naib Amir Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher.
“The ways to strengthen Pakistan-Bangladesh relations and the recent developments in the region were two key areas of discussion. The DPM/FM lauded the courage and steadfastness of the Jamaat leaders and activists in the face of hardships and difficulties,” the FO said.
Earlier today, the FO wrote on X that Dar embarked on a “historic visit to Bangladesh” as the deputy premier departed from the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi. “In Dhaka, he will hold important meetings with Bangladeshi leaders,” it added.
“The visit is a significant milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations as a Pakistani foreign minister is visiting Bangladesh after a gap of around 13 years,” the FO highlighted.
The last time a foreign minister paid an official visit to Dhaka was in November 2012, when Hina Rabbani Khar made a six-hour visit to Bangladesh to formally invite then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina to a summit in Islamabad later that month.
FM Dar’s meetings are likely to take place tomorrow, according to Bangladeshi news outlet BSS.
The visit is expected to see the signing of four to five memorandums of understanding to strengthen bilateral ties in the fields of trade, culture, media, training, and travel, a senior official of Bangladesh’s foreign ministry told BSS.
Dar’s visit comes on the heels of Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan’s official tour to Dhaka, where he met Bangladesh’s advisers for commerce and industries.
Islamabad and Dhaka are in the process of establishing a joint working group on trade to enhance the economic ties and foster greater cooperation in trade, according to the commerce ministry.
The two countries started direct government-to-government trade in February with imports of 50,000 tonnes of rice, while Fly Jinnah has also secured approval to operate flights from Karachi to Dhaka.
Diplomatic ties were rekindled after 15 years in April with the visit of Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch for Foreign Office Consultations (FOC).
Last month, when Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Dhaka, Pakistan and Bangladesh agreed to grant visa-free entry to holders of diplomatic and official passports from the other side.