Bangladesh, Pakistan Hold Bilateral Home Affairs Meeting at UN Headquarters

Bangladesh and Pakistan held a high-level bilateral meeting between their home ministers at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Monday, focusing on strengthening cooperation in security, law enforcement and regional issues.

The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and was led by Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Pakistan Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi.

The two ministers discussed a broad range of issues, including security cooperation, regional stability, counter-narcotics efforts, urban safety, police capacity building and the Rohingya crisis.

At the beginning of the meeting, Salahuddin recalled Naqvi's successful visit to Bangladesh in May and expressed satisfaction over the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing cooperation in preventing the illicit trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

He said the agreement would contribute significantly to safeguarding the borders and societies of both countries.

Highlighting bilateral ties, the Bangladeshi home minister reaffirmed his government's commitment to deepening relations with Pakistan based on shared history, mutual respect, understanding and partnership.

He also welcomed the resumption of Biman Bangladesh Airlines' direct flights between Dhaka and Karachi in January after a 14-year suspension, saying the move had opened new avenues for people-to-people exchanges and bilateral trade.

Salahuddin also raised the humanitarian concerns of people of Bangladeshi origin living in Pakistan. He said many Pakistani citizens of Bangladeshi descent and their family members were facing difficulties in obtaining the country's Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) due to the absence of the required family documentation, commonly known as a family tree.

As a result, he said, many were being denied access to essential rights and services, including education and healthcare. He urged the Pakistani authorities to address the issue on humanitarian grounds and work towards a swift and lasting solution.

Referring to Pakistan's experience in urban security, Salahuddin said the Safe City initiative, implemented in more than 40 major cities, could serve as a valuable model for Bangladesh.

He noted that Bangladesh's then Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, now the Cabinet Secretary, had visited Safe City projects in Islamabad, Lahore, Multan and Karachi in September 2025. Drawing on those experiences, he said Pakistan could provide technical and strategic assistance to strengthen Bangladesh's urban security system.

The home minister also sought Pakistan's support in providing advanced training for Bangladeshi police officers to further enhance the professionalism and operational capabilities of the Bangladesh Police.

On the Rohingya issue, Salahuddin noted that Bangladesh and Pakistan had previously cooperated in addressing the situation of undocumented Rohingyas residing in Saudi Arabia. He said continued close consultation and practical cooperation between the two countries would be important in tackling future regional and global humanitarian challenges.

He also expressed Bangladesh's expectation of Pakistan's continued support in international forums to help ensure the safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar.

During the meeting, Naqvi invited Salahuddin to visit Pakistan. The Bangladeshi home minister thanked him for the invitation and said he would undertake the visit at a mutually convenient time.

Senior officials from the home ministries of both countries were also present at the meeting.