Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar departed for Dhaka on Saturday, initiating the first official trip by a Pakistani foreign minister to Bangladesh in 13 years. The two-day visit, scheduled for August 23rd and 24th, follows an invitation from the Bangladeshi government.
Dar’s itinerary includes meetings with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and Adviser for Foreign Affairs Touhid Hossain. The Foreign Office described the visit as a “significant milestone” in the relationship between the two nations. Discussions are anticipated to encompass various aspects of bilateral ties, including regional and global affairs. Several pacts, including trade deals, are expected to be finalized on Sunday.
Dar’s presence in Dhaka marks the highest-level Pakistani delegation to visit since 2012, signifying a recent improvement in relations. The relationship began mending after the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who sought refuge in India after a student-led revolt.
Since then, Islamabad and Dhaka have undertaken considerable measures to restore their connection. Maritime trade resumed last year, with government-to-government commerce expanding in February. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also interacted with Bangladesh’s interim administration on several occasions.
Recent exchanges include talks between Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Bangladeshi officials in Dhaka to form joint commissions on trade and investment, along with reciprocal visits by senior military personnel. Diplomatic progress continued last month with an agreement in principle to permit visa-free travel for diplomatic and official passport holders. In April, both countries applauded the initiation of direct shipping routes between Karachi and Chittagong and advocated for the revival of direct air connections.
These developments follow the 6th round of Foreign Secretary Level Consultations (FSLC), held in Dhaka on April 17th after a 15-year pause. The discussions, led by Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and Bangladesh’s Jashim Uddin, were characterized as amicable and focused on reinvigorating bilateral engagement.