Pakistan's FM Ishaq Dar to Visit Bangladesh on August 23 for Bilateral Talks

Islamabad, Aug 14 (PTI) — Pakistan's Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar, is scheduled to visit Bangladesh on August 23, marking a step forward in the warming bilateral relations following the ouster of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year.

Dar's visit, initially planned for April, was postponed due to heightened tensions with India following the Pahalgam terror attack and the resulting conflict between India and Pakistan.

According to official sources, Dar is now preparing to travel to Dhaka on August 23.

While specific details of his visit remain undisclosed, meetings with his Bangladeshi counterpart Touhid Hossain and Interim Government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus are expected.

Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh had deteriorated during Hasina's tenure. However, there was a significant improvement following her removal from power on August 5 last year amid mass student protests.

Last month, both nations agreed to permit visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports from the respective countries.

This agreement was achieved during discussions between Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh’s Home Minister Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

In April, Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch visited Dhaka for Foreign Office Consultations, resuming diplomatic engagement after a 15-year hiatus.

In a notable development, the two countries initiated direct government-to-government trade in February, starting with the import of 50,000 tonnes of rice, after years of strained relations.

Direct private trade resumed in November 2024, when a container ship traveled from Karachi to Chittagong.

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