Dhaka, Islamabad reignite diplomatic dialogue after 15 years

Diplomatic Correspondent :

Dhaka and Islamabad are set to re-engage in formal diplomatic talks after a 15-year hiatus, as the two nations convene the sixth round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in the Bangladeshi capital today.

This marks a significant step in bilateral relations, with no high-level meetings having taken place during the tenure of the recently ousted Awami League government, despite the existence of formal diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan. During the administration of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s foreign policy remained closely aligned with New Delhi, leaving Islamabad in diplomatic limbo.

In a move to revitalise bilateral engagement, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Ms Amna Baloch, arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday to participate in the foreign secretary-level meeting-her visit being the first by a Pakistani foreign secretary to Bangladesh in nearly 15 years. Upon arrival, she was received at the airport by Ms Ishrat Jahan, Director General of the South Asia Division at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ms Baloch will lead the Pakistani delegation at the FOC, which is scheduled to take place at the State Guest House Padma. Her counterpart, Mr Md Jashim Uddin, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, will lead the Bangladeshi side.

According to official sources, the agenda for the discussions includes a wide range of bilateral matters encompassing trade and investment, connectivity-including air links-defence cooperation, education, agriculture, fisheries, cultural exchange, and sports collaboration. Multilateral and regional cooperation under frameworks such as SAARC, OIC, and D-8 is also expected to feature in the talks.

Following the meeting and a working luncheon, Ms Baloch is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Mr Md Touhid Hossain, and Chief Adviser, Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus.

This sixth round of FOC marks the first since the previous session held in Islamabad in 2010. Notably, the last meeting of the economic commission at the finance ministerial level was held two decades ago in 2005. Officials express optimism that the current engagement could pave the way for the resumption of such high-level economic dialogues.

Sources indicate that a key focus will be on proposals to strengthen bilateral relations, with Pakistan likely to propose the revival of a joint commission aimed at enhancing coordination on political, economic, and social fronts. Bangladesh, on its part, may propose the introduction of a specialised programme to promote cultural exchange and people-to-people connectivity.

Additionally, Bangladesh is expected to formally raise the issue of $4.52 billion in outstanding financial claims from pre-1971 undivided Pakistan. The demand includes shares in foreign aid, provident funds, savings instruments, and other financial entitlements.

Among the most significant components of this claim is $200 million in foreign aid originally allocated to then-East Pakistan following the devastating Bhola cyclone in 1970. According to foreign ministry officials, the funds were initially deposited at the Dhaka branch of the State Bank of Pakistan but were subsequently transferred to its Lahore branch during the Liberation War.

Bangladesh Bank has reportedly provided supporting documentation to substantiate the claim.

Later this month, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mr Ishaq Dar, is expected to visit Dhaka to further discuss bilateral issues. His prospective visit is also on the agenda during the current foreign secretary-level talks.

Amid renewed diplomatic engagement, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, on 19 December last year, urged Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to resolve the outstanding issues stemming from 1971. The discussion took place on the sidelines of the D-8 Summit in Cairo, Egypt.

“These issues keep resurfacing. Let us resolve them once and for all so we can move forward,” Prof Yunus said.

In response, Prime Minister Sharif referenced the 1974 tripartite agreement between Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India, asserting that it had addressed the matter. Nonetheless, he expressed willingness to revisit any unresolved issues.

“It would be good to settle everything for the sake of future generations,” Prof Yunus added.
With the resumption of dialogue, both sides appear hopeful that a new chapter of mutual understanding and cooperation can be forged in the interest of regional stability and development.