DHAKA – A foreign secretary-level dialogue between Pakistan and Bangladesh began Thursday morning in Dhaka, marking their first high-level diplomatic interaction in 15 years.
Pakistan’s delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, while her Bangladeshi counterpart, Jashim Uddin, headed the host delegation. The meeting was held at the State Guest House Padma.
The discussions mainly focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation and strengthening shared interests. Following the talks, the Bangladeshi side hosted a lunch in honor of Amna Baloch.
During her visit, Amna also held a meeting with Mohammed Tohid Hussain, the Foreign Affairs Advisor to Bangladesh’s Interim Government.
She arrived in Dhaka a day earlier for a two-day visit as part of the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) framework.
As reported by The Daily Star, Amna Baloch is also scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain. Later in the day, she will interact with think tanks and members of the Pakistani community in Dhaka.
Additionally, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to visit Bangladesh in the final week of April.
Diplomatic ties between the two countries have seen a positive shift since the Awami League-led government stepped down on August 5 last year. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Muhammad Yunus have since held two meetings — one at the UN General Assembly in New York and another during the D-8 summit in Cairo.
In a move towards normalization, Bangladesh has relaxed visa requirements for Pakistani citizens and launched direct shipping services.
Pakistan, on the other hand, is looking to promote cultural exchange and strengthen cooperation in trade, tourism, and investment.
“Pakistan sees an opportunity to increase exports to Bangladesh, particularly if the pricing remains competitive,” noted Iqbal Hussain Khan, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, who is currently in Dhaka for the discussions.
