Pakistan and Bangladesh’s engagement appears to be rooted in a dual strategy. First, it seeks to rebuild stronger ties with Dhaka, taking advantage of the new leadership’s presumed openness to fostering ties that had cooled under Sheikh Hasina. Second, a report published by the Dhaka-based Bangladesh Think Tank Forum to ET says that Pakistan is seeking to align itself with regional actors that may support Pakistan’s position on New Delhi’s influence in South Asia. and aims to counter Indian influence in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s regime change, marked by the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, has led to allegations of foreign interference, primarily by the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI).
A statement by Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh praising the student movement further fueled speculation about the ISI’s role in using agitation to achieve geopolitical objectives.
After the change of government in Bangladesh, Pakistan launched diplomatic efforts aimed at strengthening ties with Dhaka. Pakistan has announced a new visa policy that includes Bangladesh among the 126 countries whose citizens can travel to Pakistan without paying visa fees, the report noted. These moves reflect Pakistan’s broader diplomatic efforts to reset relations with Bangladesh. Since the fall of Hasina’s regime, Pakistan’s high commissioner in Dhaka has been meeting regularly with leaders of the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist groups, reports cited local national newspapers. insisted. Pakistan’s High Commissioner in Dhaka is stepping up diplomacy. He worked extensively with key advisers to the transitional government and conducted outreach efforts. The interim government’s chief advisor Md Yunus and Pakistan’s prime minister have already met twice since September. In recent months, Islamabad has stepped up efforts to revitalize economic and trade ties with Dhaka, focusing on the variety of goods exchanged between the two countries. . One area of focus is agricultural imports. The report said Bangladesh’s agricultural sector was facing difficulties due to the Russo-Ukrainian war and Bangladesh had expressed keen interest in increasing imports of agricultural products such as rice, maize and sesame from Pakistan.
ET had earlier reported that defense cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh could increase significantly following the change of government in Dhaka.
Since the change of government, Pakistan’s leadership has shown strong interest in fostering ties with Bangladeshi educational institutions. The report noted that in September, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh initiated efforts to strengthen academic and cultural ties between the two countries.
India remains vigilant as Pakistan’s deep-rooted presence in Bangladesh has major implications for the security of India’s eastern and northeastern regions.
