Closer ties emphasized as Pakistan deputy PM meets leaders of BNP, Jamaat, and NCP

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar met leaders of Bangladesh’s major political parties — including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP) — on Saturday during his two-day official visit to Dhaka, the first by a Pakistani foreign minister in 13 years.

Talks focused on strengthening bilateral ties, fostering political dialogue, and creating new avenues for cultural and youth exchanges between the two countries.

Dar arrived in Dhaka at 2 pm on a special flight and was received at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider, Bangladesh’s envoy to Pakistan Muhammad Iqbal Khan, and senior officials from both countries, according to a press release from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He began his political engagements at the Pakistan Embassy in Dhaka at 6 pm, holding talks with a six-member BNP delegation led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Other members included Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Begum Selim Rahman, Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, and Shama Obayed. The deputy prime minister is also scheduled to visit BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan residence to inquire after her health.

During the visit, Dar will also meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, and Commerce Adviser SK Bashir Uddin. Official talks with Adviser Touhid Hossain at the state guest house Padma are expected to conclude with the signing of four to five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering trade, culture, media, training, and travel. Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, who is accompanying Dar, will also join the meeting. Later, Dar and Khan will pay a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Prof Yunus.

Earlier on Saturday, Dar met an NCP delegation led by General Secretary Akhtar Hossain, with discussions highlighting the party’s political reform and social justice agenda. He underlined the importance of stronger youth engagement and cultural cooperation between the two nations.

He later held talks with a Jamaat-e-Islami team led by Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher. Discussions focused on Pakistan-Bangladesh relations and regional developments. The Pakistan foreign ministry noted that Dar praised Jamaat leaders for their “courage and steadfastness” in facing challenges.

Dar’s trip signals a significant step toward reviving high-level diplomatic engagement between Pakistan and Bangladesh after more than a decade. It comes alongside recent high-level exchanges, including visits by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, which paved the way for visa-free entry for diplomatic passport holders.

Bangladesh and Pakistan are also moving forward with initiatives to deepen economic cooperation. Agreements include visa exemption for diplomatic passport holders, cultural and media cooperation, joint training programs, collaboration between foreign service academies, and a new Joint Trade and Investment Group. Talks are also underway on quality standards, agricultural research, and halal certification cooperation.

Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin confirmed that discussions with Jam Kamal Khan focused on removing anti-dumping duties on hydrogen peroxide, boosting market access, and drafting a Bangladesh-Pakistan Joint Trade Roadmap. New direct shipping services and trade regimes have been introduced, while Pakistan’s Fly Jinnah has secured approval to operate the Dhaka-Karachi route, with Air Sial applying for service clearance.

The last high-level visit from Pakistan was in November 2012, when then-Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited Dhaka to invite then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the D-8 summit in Islamabad.

Dar’s current visit thus marks a milestone in renewing political, economic, and diplomatic ties between the two nations.