[🇧🇩] Bangladesh-Pakistan Relation---Can we look beyond 1971?

[Saif]

Pakistan High Commissioner presents credential to President

Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider presented his credentials to the President of Bangladesh, Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban on Tuesday. During the meeting, the high commissioner conveyed greetings and best wishes from the leadership and people of Pakistan to the president

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Pakistan High Commissioner presents credential to President

UNB
Published :
Aug 19, 2025 21:05
Updated :
Aug 19, 2025 21:05

Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider presented his credentials to the President of Bangladesh, Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban on Tuesday.

During the meeting, the high commissioner conveyed greetings and best wishes from the leadership and people of Pakistan to the president and the brotherly people of Bangladesh, according to Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka.

He noted that relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh are deeply rooted in shared history, common faith and cultural affinities and emphasised that Pakistan looks forward to further strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Welcoming the high commissioner, the president felicitated him on his appointment and assured full support in the discharge of his diplomatic responsibilities.

He also expressed his best wishes for the high commissioner’s successful tenure in Bangladesh.​

 

[Saif]

Mahfuj Alam urges Pakistan to assist Bangladeshi research on East Pakistan era

Information adviser made the request during a meeting with Pakistan high commissioner

www.thedailystar.net

Mahfuj Alam urges Pakistan to assist Bangladeshi research on East Pakistan era

Information adviser made the request during a meeting with Pakistan high commissioner

Photo: PID

Mahfuj Alam, adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has urged Pakistan to assist Bangladeshi researchers interested in studying 24 years of events (from 1947 to 1971) during the East Pakistan era.

The adviser made the request during a meeting at his office with Pakistan's High Commissioner Imran Haider today, said a press release issued by the ministry.

Mahfuj Alam said, "Many researchers in Bangladesh want to study the daily socio-economic events of former East Pakistan from 1947 to 1971. For this research, it is necessary to collect related documents preserved in Pakistan's archives."

The adviser urged Pakistan's high commissioner to provide the necessary cooperation in this regard.

At the same time, both the adviser and the high commissioner expressed interest in strengthening cooperative relations for the development of media in the two countries.

Various socio-economic issues of both countries were also discussed during the meeting, the press release added.​

 

[Saif]

'Ties with Pakistan kept poor intentionally by past regime'

Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain on Sunday said, Bangladesh’s relations with Pakistan had been intentionally kept poor for many years. “Certain decisions caused relations with Pakistan to deteriorate compared to before” he said while addressing a meeting organised by the DCAB in th

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

'Ties with Pakistan kept poor intentionally by past regime'

FE Online Report
Published :
Nov 30, 2025 22:06
Updated :
Nov 30, 2025 22:08

Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain on Sunday said, Bangladesh’s relations with Pakistan had been intentionally kept poor for many years.

“Certain decisions caused relations with Pakistan to deteriorate compared to before” he said while addressing a meeting organised by the DCAB in the city.

“The issues that existed before 2009 remained unchanged for the next 15 years. Pakistan did not apologise earlier, nor did they later; the issue of asset division was unresolved before, and still unresolved. But during that time, some deliberate decisions were taken that worsened relations”.

“Our decision now is to establish a normal relationship with Pakistan — nothing beyond that” he added.​

 

[Saif]

https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/ca-for-enhanced-trade-with-pakistan

CA for enhanced trade with Pakistan

FE ONLINE REPORT
Published :
Dec 28, 2025 19:42
Updated :
Dec 28, 2025 19:42

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus stressed the need for boosting bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Pakistan when Pakistan High Commissioner, Imran Haider, paid a courtesy call on him at the State Guest House in Dhaka.

During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, and aviation, as well as scaling up cultural, educational, and medical exchanges to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two South Asian nations, said a spokesman of the CA Office.

Professor Yunus underscored the need to further boost Bangladesh–Pakistan trade and expressed hope that during Mr. Haider’s tenure, both countries would explore new avenues for investment and joint venture businesses.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus welcomed the growing interactions between the two countries and emphasised the importance of increased visits, as well as cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges among SAARC member states.

The Pakistani High Commissioner noted that bilateral trade has recorded a 20 percent growth compared to last year, with business communities from both countries actively exploring new investment opportunities.

He also highlighted a significant increase in cultural exchanges, adding that Bangladeshi students have shown strong interest in higher education opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in medical sciences, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence.

Mr. Haider further said that Pakistan has witnessed a rise in patients traveling to its leading hospitals for liver and kidney transplants, and noted that Pakistan is ready to offer training and academic opportunities in transplantation-related medical fields.

Pakistan High Commissioner said that Dhaka-Karachi direct flights are expected to start in January.

SDG Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed was also present at the meeting.​

 

[Saif]

Pakistan’s National Assembly speaker calls on chief adviser

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq attended Khaleda Zia’s funeral

www.thedailystar.net

Pakistan’s National Assembly speaker calls on chief adviser
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq attended Khaleda Zia’s funeral

Photo: Cheif adviser's Facebook page

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka today.


The information was shared on the official Facebook page of the chief adviser.

Sadiq arrived in Dhaka to attend the funeral of former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

He was received at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by the Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider and senior officials of the foreign ministry, reports BSS.


The flight carrying Sadiq landed at the Dhaka airport at around 11:50am, the airport's spokesperson Flight Lieutenant Masud said.​

 

[Saif]

Tarique discusses party vision, trade, economy, global ties with diplomats

Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Friday held separate meetings with diplomats of Australia, Germany and Pakistan, focusing on the party’s vision for governance and the country’s future.

www.newagebd.net

Tarique discusses party vision, trade, economy, global ties with diplomats

Staff Correspondent 09 January, 2026, 19:41

Pakistan high commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider on Friday paid a courtesy call on BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman at the BNP chairperson's office in Gulshan. | BSS photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Friday held separate meetings with diplomats of Australia, Germany and Pakistan, focusing on the party’s vision for governance and the country’s future.

The discussions, held at the BNP chairperson’s office at Gulshan in the capital Dhaka, covered a range of issues, including bilateral relations, economic policy, trade cooperation and the forthcoming national elections scheduled for February 12.


Those who met Tarique included Australian high commissioner Susan Ryle, German ambassador Rüdiger Lotz and Pakistan high commissioner Imran Haider.

After the meeting, BNP joint secretary general Humayun Kabir told reporters that the central area of the discussions was strengthening bilateral ties and if voted to power, how a future BNP government would manage relations with the respective countries.

He said that the party’s broader foreign policy orientation and strategic priorities were also discussed.

According to Humayun, Tarique discussed the future economic recovery and development in detail during the meetings, with particular emphasis on the BNP’s 31-point proposal and its policy priorities.

The diplomats and the BNP leader also explored ways to expand trade, investment and people-to-people contacts between Bangladesh and the countries concerned, he said.

Humayun said that regarding the forthcoming elections, the foreign envoys expressed keen interest in the process.

He said that the diplomats were keen to engage in strategic exchanges, viewing Tarique as a major political leader of significance beyond Bangladesh in the broader Asia-Pacific context.

The diplomats offered condolences over the death of the party’s chairperson Khaleda Zia.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh to receive $42mn in compensation from Niko over 2005 gas field blowouts

An international tribunal has ordered Canadian oil and gas firm Niko Resources to pay $42 million in compensation to state-run Petrobangla over two gas field blowouts in Chhatak, Sunamganj, in 2005. The confirmation about the order given by the US-based International Centre for Settlement of Inves

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

After years of hiatus, Biman resumes flight services between Dhaka and Karachi

bdnews24.com
Published :
Jan 29, 2026 22:58
Updated :
Jan 29, 2026 22:58

Bangladesh has resumed direct flights from Dhaka to Karachi after a long pause.

On Thursday at 8:15pm, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 737 took off from Shahjalal International Airport carrying 138 passengers.

Advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin and Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Dhaka Imran Haider jointly cut the ribbon to mark the launch at a ceremony at the airport.

The airline said the Dhaka-Karachi flight will operate every Thursday and Saturday, departing Dhaka at 8pm and reaching Karachi at 11pm local time.

The return flight will leave Karachi at midnight, scheduled for 4:20am landing in Dhaka.

Passengers can book tickets or obtain flight information via Biman’s sales offices, authorised travel agents, the airline call centre (+8809610-13636), or the website (www.biman-airlines.com).

Direct flights between Bangladesh and Pakistan were last operated in 2018 by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

Following the political transition on Aug 5, 2024, a renewed momentum emerged to restore direct connectivity.

The aerial distance between Dhaka and Karachi is roughly 2,370km.

In the absence of direct flights, travellers had to transit through Middle Eastern countries, which increased travel time to 8-12 hours on average, with some flights taking 18-22 hours.

Transit fares previously ranged from Tk 50,000-55,000 in 2019 but have now risen to around Tk 100,000.

With the direct Biman flight, round-trip fares are approximately Tk 56,000 Tk.

Airlines such as Air Arabia, Gulf Air, Fly Dubai, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Thai Airways currently provide transit flights from Bangladesh to Pakistan.​

 

[Saif]

Pakistan seeks 4-nation regional forum involving Bangladesh

After China’s seven-month-long effort to form a regional alliance involving Bangladesh and Pakistan failed due to Dhaka’s reluctance, Pakistan has now proposed a new regional cooperation framework bringing together Bangladesh, China and Myanmar. If Bangladesh agrees, Pakistan wants to move...

en.prothomalo.com

Pakistan seeks 4-nation regional forum involving Bangladesh

Raheed EjazDhaka
Published: 06 Feb 2026, 18: 33

After China’s seven-month-long effort to form a regional alliance involving Bangladesh and Pakistan failed due to Dhaka’s reluctance, Pakistan has now proposed a new regional cooperation framework bringing together Bangladesh, China and Myanmar.

If Bangladesh agrees, Pakistan wants to move quickly to advance the initiative through a meeting in Islamabad.

Diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Islamabad say that in the final week of January, Pakistan formally placed the proposal for a four-country meeting before top Bangladeshi authorities. Preparations were even made to convene a meeting of foreign ministry officials from Bangladesh, China and Myanmar in Islamabad before the 12 February general election.

A source at the policymaking level of the interim government told Prothom Alo that Bangladesh has responded positively in principle to Pakistan’s proposal. Pakistan, for its part, is keen to hold the meeting in the first half of February. However, with the national election approaching, Bangladesh is not inclined to participate in such a meeting at this stage.

When asked, foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain told Prothom Alo that Pakistan had proposed establishing a cooperative framework involving four countries and wished to hold a meeting to that end.

In June last year, Beijing and Islamabad actively pursued the formation of a trilateral forum through an informal meeting in Kunming, China. The initiative ultimately failed to materialise after Bangladesh declined to participate.
“The tenure of the interim government is now nearing its end. Islamabad has been informed that such a meeting may be held after the formation of a new government,” he said.

How and when Pakistan made the proposal

Diplomatic sources in Bangladesh and Pakistan told this correspondent that over the past month, the foreign affairs adviser held several discussions with Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar. The two met on the sidelines of multiple multilateral forums outside Bangladesh. In addition, they spoke by phone at least three times in January, with Ishaq Dar initiating each call.

During those discussions, they exchanged views not only on bilateral relations but also on regional and international cooperation.

On 24 January, Ishaq Dar telephoned Touhid Hossain, two days before Myanmar’s foreign minister Than Swe arrived in Islamabad on a bilateral visit. The conversation lasted more than 15 minutes and covered a range of bilateral and regional issues.

On the bilateral front, discussions included the resumption of direct Dhaka–Karachi flights after a 14-year hiatus (which resumed on 29 January), the launch of direct cargo shipping on the Karachi–Chattogram route, high-level exchanges between the two countries after the 12 February election, expanded trade and investment, and the possible purchase of Pakistan’s JF-17 fighter jets.

Referring to the visit of Myanmar’s foreign minister, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister asked whether he could raise the Rohingya issue and sought Bangladesh’s views on the matter. Touhid Hossain responded that Pakistan could play a constructive role in supporting efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

Alternative to stalled trilateral forum

In June last year, Beijing and Islamabad actively pursued the formation of a trilateral forum through an informal meeting in Kunming, China. The initiative ultimately failed to materialise after Bangladesh declined to participate.

In a constantly evolving global context, it is worth considering how appropriate it is for an interim government, in its final phase, to actively engage in such new initiatives-------M Humayun Kabir, former ambassador and president of BEI.

China and Pakistan raised the issue with Bangladesh on several occasions in Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur, in addition to Kunming. Despite sustained efforts by Beijing and Islamabad, the proposed Bangladesh–China–Pakistan trilateral alliance could not be activated.

Bangladesh’s position was that such a grouping would not be effective in South Asia unless a fourth country, such as Sri Lanka or Nepal, was included. In early January, Pakistan proposed a formal trilateral meeting in Islamabad, but Bangladesh declined, stating that the government formed after the upcoming election should decide on the matter.

On 24 January, Ishaq Dar proposed hosting a regional meeting in Islamabad involving Bangladesh, China, Myanmar and Pakistan. In response, Touhid Hossain suggested that the first meeting could be held at the joint secretary level. Ishaq Dar, however, proposed holding it at an additional secretary level.

It was eventually agreed that the first meeting of the four countries would be held in Islamabad at the additional secretary level, although Bangladesh’s foreign affairs adviser sought to defer the meeting until after the February election. Pakistan, however, remains keen to hold the meeting before the elections.

Former ambassador and president of the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI), M Humayun Kabir, said that careful consideration was needed before engaging in such initiatives at the final stage of an interim government’s tenure.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Humayun Kabir further said the Bay of Bengal had become increasingly significant amid global geopolitical competition, prompting China to pursue initiatives in the region with an assertive posture.

He added that Pakistan, too, had become more active following Bangladesh’s political transition after August 2024.

“As a result, cooperation does not remain confined strictly to bilateral or clearly defined regional issues,” he said.

“In a constantly evolving global context, it is worth considering how appropriate it is for an interim government, in its final phase, to actively engage in such new initiatives,” Humayun Kabir added.​