FOC between Bangladesh, Pakistan in progress
Staff Reporter :
Pakistan is eager to review and enhance bilateral cooperation with Bangladesh across various sectors, including foreign relations, trade, culture, visa facilitation, and people-to-people exchanges.
These bilateral matters were discussed when Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) at Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met with Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Md Jashim Uddin, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs During the meeting, both parties reviewed the current state of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations, which are built on mutual respect and shared values. They expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of their ties and agreed to remain engaged in further strengthening cooperation.
Discussions also covered the forthcoming visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, to Bangladesh. A source indicated that the Deputy Prime Minister is expected to visit Bangladesh in April, with all necessary preparations currently underway. Additionally, arrangements for a Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) are in progress.
Both sides recalled the substantive discussions held between Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser and Pakistan’s Prime Minister on the sidelines of the D-8 Summit in Cairo in December 2024 and the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York in September 2024. They also referred to the meeting between Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia, Samoa, in October 2024.
The importance of holding Foreign Secretary-level consultations-last convened in 2010-was also highlighted, alongside discussions on reviving the Joint Economic Commission, whose last meeting took place in 2005.
Both sides emphasised strengthening trade cooperation and reducing the trade imbalance. They expressed satisfaction with the recent visits of multiple Pakistani trade delegations to Bangladesh and underscored the significance of product-specific trade delegations from Bangladesh visiting Pakistan.
The meeting also addressed collaboration in tourism, cultural exchanges, people-to-people interactions, the issue of forcibly displaced Rohingya, and cooperation in international forums. The importance of strengthening regional and multilateral engagement through organisations such as SAARC, the OIC, and D-8 was also noted.
Meanwhile, during his visit to Bangladesh, Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, held a series of meetings with senior Bangladeshi officials to foster ties in various key areas.
In his meeting with Mahbubur Rahman, Secretary of Commerce, both parties discussed various aspects of bilateral economic and trade relations, acknowledging the growing momentum and exploring opportunities for further expansion.
Ambassador Siddiqui also met with Md. Ataur Rahman, Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, to explore potential areas of cultural cooperation, including music, cinema, drama, youth exchanges, and people-to-people contacts. Both parties agreed to work closely to strengthen cultural ties between the two nations.
In a separate meeting with Nasimul Ghani, Senior Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, both sides expressed satisfaction with the ease of travel between Pakistan and Bangladesh and explored further avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Syed Ahmed Maroof, was also present at these meetings.