DHAKA:
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reached Dhaka on Friday for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh. He was welcomed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam, Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Haider, and other senior officials.
The visit, described by both sides as “long overdue,” had been postponed twice earlier most recently in May amid heightened Pakistan-India tensions following the Pahalgam attack.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Dar will hold meetings with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Adviser for Foreign Affairs Touhid Hossain during his stay. “The discussions will cover the full spectrum of bilateral relations as well as pressing regional and global issues,” the statement said.
The trip coincides with a senior Bangladeshi military delegation’s presence in Pakistan, underlining the growing engagement between the two countries. On Thursday, Lt Gen Md Faizur Rahman, Quartermaster General of the Bangladesh Army, met with General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, at the Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on regional security and emphasized the importance of closer cooperation in defence and security. General Mirza highlighted the upward trajectory of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations, noting new opportunities for collaboration. Lt Gen Rahman, meanwhile, praised the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces and acknowledged their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.
Ties between Islamabad and Dhaka have notably improved since the fall of Sheikh Hasina Wajid’s government last year. The interim administration in Bangladesh has since adopted a recalibrated foreign policy, opening the door for a fresh chapter in relations with Pakistan.
