Page 10 - The Indian EYE 092625
P. 10

OPINION                                                          SEPTEMBER 26, 2025        |  The Indian Eye 10


         The Unease amid Newfound





                        Warmth in Pakistan–






                        Bangladesh Relations








        ASHISH SHUKLA

           t has been more than a year
           since the downfall of the Awami
        ILeague government in Bangla-
        desh and the installation of a care-
        taker setup with Muhammad Yunus
        as its Chief Advisor. For some in the
        region and beyond, it was a shocking
        development. At the same time, po-
        litico-security elites in Pakistan saw it
        as an opportunity to reconfigure the
        bilateral relations, which were almost
        frozen during Sheikh Hasina’s long
        tenure.
            Pakistan’s overtures were posi-
        tively received and responded favor-
        ably in the power corridors of Dhaka.
        The newfound warmth generated a
        kind of euphoria in Pakistan, where
        analysts and observers were busy sug-
        gesting ways to improve the bilater-
        al relationship with Bangladesh and
        keep India out of the picture. Some
        even suggested the evolution of a tri-
        lateral alliance involving Bangladesh,
        China and Pakistan.
            Burhanul Islam, a retired Ben-
        gali diplomat who opted for Pakistan
        after the 1971 debacle, suggested
        several policy measures to exploit the
        developing situation in Bangladesh.
        Most of these were worked upon
        immediately by Pakistan, including       Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar embarked upon a much-awaited and widely publicized visit
        inter alia increasing diplomatic foot-
        prints in Dhaka and revamping polit-                                   to Dhaka on 23 August (Agency photo)
        ical, economic and cultural ties.
            The results of these efforts were   bilateral trade has increased  from  rior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had ear-  lamabad condemned the  execution
        soon visible to everyone—three min-  US$ 628 million in 2023–24 to US$  lier visited Dhaka in July.   of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul
        isterial  visits  to  Dhaka,  two  meet-  865 million in 2024–25. Pakistan’s   Indeed, Kamal Khan was pres-  Quader Mollah,  who  was  convicted
        ings  between  Muhammad Yunus     exports to Bangladesh have risen by  ent in Dhaka during Ishaq Dar’s visit   for committing crimes against hu-
        and Shehbaz Sharif at the sidelines   28 per cent, whereas Bangladesh’s  and accompanied him  in important   manity during the Liberation War of
        of international events, a foreign   exports to Pakistan have increased by  interactions with Bangladesh of-  Bangladesh. The relations remained
        secretary-level meeting, a high-level   20 per cent.                ficials.  This  was  the  first  state  visit   at their lowest ebb when Sheikh Ha-
        military delegation to Pakistan, fol-  Against this background, Paki-  of a Pakistani Foreign Minister to   sina ruled Bangladesh.
        lowed by an ISI delegation to Dha-  stan’s Deputy Prime Minister and  Bangladesh in the last 13 years. The   Ishaq Dar’s two-day state visit
        ka, a high-level business delegation   Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar em-  previous visit by a foreign minister   aimed to discuss ways to strengthen
        to Dhaka, ease of visa restrictions   barked  upon  a  much-awaited  and  (Hina Rabbani Khar) was in Novem-  coordination and intensify re-en-
        and improved economic and cultural   widely publicized visit to Dhaka on  ber 2012 to invite Sheikh Hasina to   gagement and cooperation with
        ties. All this indicates the enthusiasm   23 August. Commerce Minister Jam  the D-8 Summit in Islamabad. The   Bangladesh. Dar addressed a press
        and energy the two sides have invest-  Kamal Khan visited on 22 August (in   relations between the two countries   conference at the Pakistan High
        ed in improving their relations. The   a visit that spanned four days). Inte-  suffered a setback in 2013 when Is-  Continued on next page... >>


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