Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch is all set to hold high-level talks about strategic realignments with Bangladesh in Dhaka on April 17. This is the first time in more than a decade that Pakistan and Bangladesh are holding high-level delegation talks.
Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin will lead the Bangladesh side at the FOC (Foreign Office Consultation) to be held at the state guest house, Padma. An official said while no specific agenda has been set, both sides are likely to cover all areas of mutual interest during the discussion.
“After such a long hiatus, it is difficult to prioritise topics in advance, but the talks will be comprehensive,” Bangladesh officials said.
Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Pakistan Md Iqbal Hussain Khan, who is currently in Dhaka to attend the meeting, told local reporters that Islamabad was particularly keen to enhance trade ties with Dhaka.
“Pakistan sees potential for boosting exports to Bangladesh, especially if their products are price-competitive,” he said, citing cotton as a major item that Pakistan is interested in supplying.
The envoy added that as Pakistan serves as a gateway for goods from Afghanistan and Iran, there is scope for Bangladesh to explore imports via Pakistan, provided transport costs remain low.
On the issue of direct air connectivity, High Commissioner Khan said that apart from Fly Jinnah, another Pakistani private carrier, AirSial, based in Sialkot, has applied to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to operate flights to Dhaka.
“Fly Jinnah is currently waiting to expand its fleet before launching Dhaka operations, while AirSial is expected to begin direct flights within two months of receiving approval,” he said.
The direct air link is anticipated to boost tourism and promote greater people-to-people contact between the two countries, the envoy said.
During her Dhaka visit, Foreign Secretary Baloch is expected to meet Bangladesh interim head Muhammad Yunus and foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain.
Additionally, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar is scheduled to visit Dhaka next week. It will be the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister since 2012.
Confirming Dar’s visit, Touhid Hossain said, “It has been finalised that he will come. We will be able to confirm the date within the next couple of days.” Sources said the visit could happen between April 20 and 21.
The visit is being considered important to lay out the revised framework agreement between Bangladesh and Pakistan. It will pave the way for further talks on defence cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The procurement of fighter jets from China, a training mechanism, and a student exchange programme (commencing this week) will also be on the agenda.
As per the sources, the meeting is going to be crucial in terms of intelligence cooperation partnership. Among other things, the agenda for the Pakistan-Bangladesh Political Consultative Meeting will also be discussed.
These developments are important for India as, after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, the diplomatic relations with its three crucial neighbours, Bangladesh, China and Pakistan, are being reshaped. India is monitoring and evaluating these developments closely.
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