Pakistan’s top diplomat visits Dhaka after 12-year gap

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Aug 2025 10:01

Pakistan and Bangladesh explore new trade, military, and diplomatic agreements as shifting regional dynamics reshape old rivalries and alliances.

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Then- Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar speaks with The Associated Press during an interview at the Pakistani Embassy on Oct. 14, 2022, in Washington. (AP)

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Dhaka on Saturday, marking the highest-level Pakistani visit to Bangladesh in more than a decade, as the two nations move to reset ties amid changing geopolitical alignments.

Dar’s trip represents the most senior Pakistani presence in Bangladesh since 2012, with Islamabad describing the visit as “a significant milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations.” Officials are expected to sign multiple agreements, including trade pacts, on Sunday.

During his visit, Dar is scheduled to meet Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Analysts note that neighbouring India, Pakistan’s long-time rival, will be monitoring developments closely.

Ties between Dhaka and New Delhi deteriorated sharply in August 2024 after a mass uprising ended the autocratic rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who subsequently fled to India.

“Bangladesh had been one of India’s closest partners in its neighbourhood, and now it is flirting with India’s chief adversary,” said Michael Kugelman, a US-based analyst, ahead of the visit.

The two nations began sea trade last year and expanded state-level commerce in February. On Thursday, Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan held talks in Dhaka, agreeing to establish joint commissions to boost trade and investment. A day later, senior military commanders from both sides met in Pakistan.

Historical tensions linger

Relations remain weighted by the legacy of the 1971 war, in which East Pakistan broke away to form Bangladesh. Pakistan’s military was accused of widespread atrocities, with death toll estimates ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions. Many in Bangladesh continue to demand an official apology from Islamabad.

Following Hasina’s ouster, Dhaka accused New Delhi of backing her now-banned Awami League party, a claim India has rejected, stating it “does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out” from its territory.

“The toppling of Hasina was a strategic setback for India, and the improved relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan are a consequence of her ouster,” Thomas Kean of the International Crisis Group observed .