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Foreign ministers

Pakistan and Bangladesh Resume Diplomatic Talks After 15-Year Freeze

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh, two long-time close neighbors, have a complex history marked by periods of mutual understanding and periods of hostility. However, in recent times, there are signs of a thaw in diplomatic engagements between the two countries. In April 2025, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary, Ms. Amna Baloch, met her Bangladeshi counterpart, Mr. Mohammad Jashim Uddin, in Dhaka, marking the first foreign office-level meeting between the two countries since 2010. This development is seen as a constructive step towards enhanced economic cooperation, strategic dialogue, and regional security collaboration.

Key Takeaways:

  • The resumed diplomatic talks between Pakistan and Bangladesh in April 2025 mark a positive shift in their relationship, which has been strained for over 15 years.
  • Pakistan's Foreign Secretary, Ms. Amna Baloch, and her Bangladeshi counterpart, Mr. Mohammad Jashim Uddin, met in Dhaka for the first time since 2010.
  • Bangladesh's Nobel laureate, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has sought to diversify the country's alliances and has met Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, multiple times since 2025.
  • Bangladesh has expressed interest in expanding its military partnership with Pakistan, including the acquisition of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets and participation in the AMAN-25 multinational naval exercise.
  • Both countries have discussed enhancing economic cooperation, trade, and people-to-people exchanges, with Islamabad aiming to reach a USD 3 billion bilateral trade target.
  • The Bangladesh Navy Ship BNS Somudra Joy participated in the AMAN-25 multinational naval exercise hosted by the Pakistan Navy in February 2025.
  • Bangladesh has eased visa restrictions for Pakistani nationals, resumed direct cargo shipping, and imported 50,000 tonnes of rice from Karachi to Chittagong.
  • Islamabad is eager to export sugar, wheat, cotton, and textiles to Bangladesh, but achieving this goal will require addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers to enhance trade facilitation.

Statistics:

  • The bilateral trade target of USD 3 billion is roughly four times the current level of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
  • Pakistan aims to export USD 1 billion worth of goods to Bangladesh, including sugar, wheat, cotton, and textiles.
  • Bangladesh has imported 50,000 tonnes of rice from Karachi to Chittagong.
  • The AMAN-25 multinational naval exercise, hosted by the Pakistan Navy in February 2025, involved the participation of the Bangladesh Navy Ship BNS Somudra Joy.

Sources:

  • The Friday Times, June 23, 2025
  • Pakistan's Foreign Secretary, Ms. Amna Baloch
  • Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary, Mr. Mohammad Jashim Uddin
  • Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus
  • Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif
  • The Developing-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation Summit in Cairo
  • The United Nations General Assembly in New York

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