Pak FM may visit BD in April
Staff Reporter :
In an effort to strengthen bilateral ties between Dhaka and Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister (FM) Ishaq Dar may pay an official visit to Bangladesh in April, with preparations currently underway.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain shared this information during a view-exchange meeting with the media on Thursday.
He stated, “We haven’t fixed a date yet, but we assume he will come. The exact date hasn’t been set, and it will take some time. I estimate he might visit in April, but not before that. So, there’s still plenty of time.”
When asked whether unresolved issues, such as Pakistan’s apology for the events of 1971 or Bangladesh’s financial claims, would be discussed, Touhid Hossain said, “We have unresolved issues with Pakistan that date back 53 years, and we will certainly raise them.
However, the goal is to move the relationship forward. If discussions focus solely on these issues, it benefits neither party.”
The adviser emphasized that relations with Pakistan should be viewed in the same way as diplomatic ties with any other country.
He stated, “We will, of course, work to protect and promote our national interests. At the same time, we aim to maintain diplomatic relations, just as we do with any other nation.”
Touhid Hossain further added, “There is no reason to deliberately worsen ties. We have mutual interests with Pakistan. For instance, shipping operations between the two countries have resumed, which will undoubtedly yield positive benefits. We will make every effort to maximize our gains from this development.”
He also confirmed that both countries are working towards finalizing the official visit of Pakistan’s foreign minister.
In response to a separate question about the recent boat capsize in Libya, which resulted in the drowning of several Bangladeshi migrants attempting to reach Europe illegally, Touhid Hossain described the incident as “a humanitarian crisis.”
He expressed deep sympathy for the victims, stating, “Most of those who drowned were Bangladeshi citizens. We see this as a humanitarian crisis and extend our deepest condolences. However, the only way to prevent such tragedies is to address the root cause here in the country.”
Highlighting the role of human traffickers, he added, “Middlemen promise to send people abroad in exchange for large sums of money, only to exploit and torture them for ransom. Unless we dismantle these trafficking networks, such incidents will continue to occur.”