Bangladesh and Pakistan met during the D-8 summit in Cairo to discuss improving bilateral relations. Both leaders agreed to enhance trade in sectors like chemicals, IT, surgical goods, and leather, and to promote cultural and sports exchanges.
Bangladesh’s interim leader Dr. Muhammad Yunus expressed a desire to resolve issues stemming from the 1971 separation from Pakistan during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the D-8 summit in Cairo, where they discussed strengthening bilateral relations. Bangladesh and Pakistan were once one nation but split in a brutal 1971 war, with Bangladesh then drawing closer to Pakistan’s arch-rival India.
Dr. Yunus, a Nobel laureate, emphasized the importance of moving past historical grievances to build better ties. He expressed a strong commitment to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which has been inactive due to tensions between Pakistan and India. “Let’s settle those issues for us to move forward,” Dr. Yunus said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated Bangladesh’s recent steps to ease trade and travel, including waiving additional security checks for Pakistani passengers and simplifying visa procedures. He highlighted areas like trade, culture, and people-to-people connections as key to deepening cooperation.
Both leaders agreed to promote trade in sectors such as chemicals, IT, surgical goods, and leather. They also supported cultural and sports exchanges to enhance ties. The meeting marked a positive shift in relations, which had cooled under previous Bangladeshi governments aligned closely with India.
Other Deets
At the D-8 summit, PM Shehbaz also met other world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Discussions focused on economic cooperation, trade, and regional stability. The Cairo moot gathered leaders from Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Shehbaz highlighted the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, stressing its importance for global peace. Addressing the summit, he emphasized investing in youth and supporting small businesses to drive development.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Bangladesh Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi were among others, present on the occasion. Siddiqi invited Pakistan’s foreign minister Dar to visit Bangladesh in February on his way to Malaysia, and he accepted the offer.
Sharif also invited Dr Yunus to visit their country at his convenience.
