Dhaka–Islamabad Talks: Six New Agreements on the Horizon

Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar sat for a high-level bilateral meeting in Dhaka on Sunday morning.

The discussions began around 10:45 am at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital. Officials indicated that the talks are likely to conclude with the signing of six agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs).

According to senior diplomats and available records, this appears to be the first formal meeting of its kind between the foreign ministers of Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Diplomatic insiders said the agenda includes a broad range of issues related to bilateral relations and future cooperation.

Earlier in the day, Ishaq Dar joined a breakfast meeting with Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin before heading to Hotel Sonargaon for talks with Adviser Hossain at 10:15 am. Later this afternoon, he is expected to call on the interim government’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus.

In the evening, the Pakistani foreign minister will visit BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia at her residence in Gulshan.

Dar’s Dhaka tour began yesterday. Shortly after arriving at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2:00 pm aboard a special Pakistan Air Force flight, he was received by Foreign Secretary Asad Alam. His first day included separate meetings with leaders of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) at the Pakistan High Commission.

Sources confirmed that in these meetings, Dar emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Bangladesh on the basis of mutual respect and shared interests.