Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is in Bangladesh. He reached Dhaka on Friday for a two-day tour. Dar’s visit as foreign minister is a first of kind in last 13 years.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan posted on X on Sunday: Senator Dar held wide-ranging talks with the Foreign Adviser of Bangladesh Touhid Hossain in Dhaka. Both countries signed six agreements in various areas of cooperation.
Pakistan-Bangladesh Leaders’ Meetings After July Revolution:
A day before Dar’s departure, Bangladesh Army Quarter Master General Lieutenant Gen Faizur Rahman called on Pakistan Army Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza at the Joint Staff Headquarters Rawalpindi.
In April, 2025, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch met Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka.
In January, a meeting took place in Rawalpindi between Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hassan, a three-star General of Bangladesh Army.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Muhammad Yunus, during an international summit in Cairo, Egypt in December, 2024. Both also met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly 79th session in September, 2024.
Bangladesh Election:
These frequent high-profile meetings took place after the July Revolution in Bangladesh. The popular uprising led by students toppled the government of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024. Subsequently, an interim setup was formed under Dr Yunus, an economist and Nobel laureate. A year after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, Yunus announced on August 5, 2025 that Bangladesh will hold polls in February 2026. Bangladesh Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin has also confirmed it two weeks ago. He said that 13th National Parliamentary Election will be held in first week of February.
Pakistan-Bangladesh Relations:
Relations between Islamabad and Dhaka remained tense during 16 years of Sheik Hasina rule. There had not been such warmth in their ties since 1971 war that brought liberation for Bangladesh, then East Pakistan which broke aways from West Pakistan, now Pakistan. Pakistan recognised the newly independent nation in 1974.
During various contacts in past few months, both countries signed MoUs to strengthen bilateral relations including enhancement of trade. Direct private trade between the two began in November 2024. Government-to-government trade started in February 2025 when Dhaka imported 50,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan.
How relations between Islamabad and Dhaka evolve in future depends on the outcome of the Feb polls in Bangladesh. Many believe Bangladeshi people remain sensitive about building ties with Pakistan. The country’s political parties have frequently demanded a formal apology from Islamabad over 71’s War. But will Islamabad apologize? Its tricky.
Dar met on Saturday with the leaders of the National Citizen’s Party (NCP). The party stressed the need for moving beyond Bangladesh’s hostile past relations with Pakistan. They called for building a friendly relationship as they met with Pakistan FM, according to The Daily Star.
Established in February 2025, NCP is a first student-led political party in history of Bangladesh. Many of its young leaders played a central role in July revolution, also called the “second liberation”.
Following the ban on Awami League, the NCP, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami are major players in country’s politics. Many believe they all have a soft corner for Islamabad. The Jamaat even regarded as pro-Pakistan. The country’s army is also a powerful player, having history of interference in politics. If held on time, the outcome of Bangladesh election and subsequent formation of the next government will determine the future of Pakistan-Bangladesh-ties.
