Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary to Arrive in Dhaka on Wednesday

Pakistan has placed significant emphasis on normalizing its long-stalled bilateral relations with Bangladesh following the recent political changeover. Meanwhile, Bangladesh is keen on maintaining a positive and constructive relationship with Pakistan across various areas of cooperation, including trade. As part of this process, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary, Amna Baloch, is scheduled to visit Dhaka on Wednesday. The foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries will be held at the state guest house Padma on Thursday, with Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary, Md Jasim Uddin, leading the host delegation and Amna Baloch representing Pakistan.

These talks will mark the first foreign secretary-level discussions between the two nations in nearly 15 years. According to the draft itinerary, Baloch will arrive in Dhaka shortly after noon on Wednesday, with the high-level talks set to take place the following morning. She is also expected to pay courtesy calls to Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and the Chief Adviser to the Interim Government, Professor Muhammad Yunus.

In an interview with Prothom Alo, Foreign Secretary Md Jasim Uddin confirmed that the talks will address a broad spectrum of bilateral issues, including unresolved historical matters. It is also expected that the discussions will focus on enhancing cooperation on regional and international platforms in addition to bilateral concerns. Despite the historical strains in their relationship, both countries have supported each other in various multilateral forums.

Foreign ministry sources indicate that the talks will cover several areas, including trade, investment, defense, agriculture, information and communication technology, connectivity, and other issues. Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Syed Ahmed Maroof, described the upcoming meeting as a major step forward, highlighting that the foreign secretary-level talks after nearly 15 years represent a significant development. He expressed optimism that these discussions will pave the way for improved relations between the two nations. Maroof also noted that both countries are in talks to arrange a visit by Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, to Bangladesh later this month.