Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit Bangladesh next month, the first ministerial visit in over a decade, signaling improved relations post-sheikh Hasina’s ouster. High-level exchanges and lifted trade restrictions underscore this thaw, while interim advisor Muhammad Yunus will reciprocate by visiting Islamabad soon.
The Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is scheduled to visit Bangladesh next month, marking the first such visit to the South Asian nation in over ten years, as reported by The Express Tribune. This visit indicates a thaw in relations between Dhaka and Islamabad, particularly after the political changes that occurred following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2023.
This upcoming trip by Minister Dar will be the first for a Pakistani foreign minister since Hina Rabbani Khar’s visit in 2012, during which she invited then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid to the D-8 summit. During a recent news conference in Islamabad, Mr. Dar confirmed his visit to Dhaka in February at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart, alongside the assurance that interim chief adviser Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh has accepted an invitation to visit Islamabad.
For much of Sheikh Hasina’s 16-year tenure, relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh were strained. The Awami League leader refrained from addressing Pakistan’s numerous overtures for improved relations, aligning more closely with India during her administration, which viewed her as a strong ally in countering extremism and insurgency in the region.
Since the political upheaval leading to Hasina’s ouster, reports suggest that ties between the two nations have shown signs of improvement, evidenced by various high-level exchanges. Key to this thaw is that Bangladesh has lifted restrictions on Pakistani exports, thus boosting bilateral trade, and has also initiated direct maritime trade routes.
During his Thursday press conference, Minister Dar characterized Bangladesh as a “brother country,” promising Pakistan’s unwavering support to Dhaka. The visit’s timing follows the recent rescinding of the security clearance requirement for Pakistani nationals to obtain Bangladesh visas—an action that could have implications for the regional security dynamics, particularly concerning India’s northeast border amid fears of extremist influences.
This policy reversal came just before Pakistan’s High Commissioner Syed Ahmed Maroof met with Khaleda Zia, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a political entity historically associated with Pakistan and more disposed towards Pakistan than Hasina’s party.
Following Hasina’s departure due to massive protests in August 2024, relations between India and Bangladesh have soured. Hasina currently resides in exile in India. Under Yunus’s leadership, tensions have escalated, particularly with incidents of violence against Hindus and the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, further complicating the political landscape in Bangladesh. Additionally, the interim government has formally requested Hasina’s return and revoked her diplomatic passport.
In conclusion, the forthcoming visit of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to Bangladesh is a significant step towards strengthening bilateral relations after years of strain. The lifting of trade restrictions and the recent changes in visa policies highlight a pragmatic shift in foreign policy following Sheikh Hasina’s removal. These developments, along with the anticipated visit of Muhammad Yunus to Islamabad, indicate a potential realignment of relations between the two countries amidst evolving political circumstances in the region.
Original Source: www.business-standard.com
