Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Insulted in Bangladesh

Pakistan now wants to increase friendship with Bangladesh, but Bangladesh has made it clear that any agreement will be possible only if Pakistan apologizes for the 1971 massacre. Bangladesh has demanded a formal apology from Pakistan. Foreign Affairs Advisor Mohammad Tauheed Hussain raised this issue in front of Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.

Pakistan, which has been isolated in South Asia, is now extending a hand of friendship towards Bangladesh. But Bangladesh has made it clear that before any agreement, Pakistan will have to apologize for the 1971 massacre.

Bangladesh has demanded a formal apology from Pakistan for the 1971 massacre. This demand was placed by Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Mohammad Tauheed Hussain in front of Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in a bilateral meeting held in Dhaka on Sunday.

Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said in a statement after the meeting, "Long pending historical issues such as formal apology for the genocide committed by Pakistan in 1971, division of assets, transfer of foreign aid given for the victims of 1970 cyclone and repatriation of stranded Pakistanis need to be resolved soon. Only by resolving these can the foundation of strong relations between the two countries be laid."

Pakistani Foreign Minister's visit to Bangladesh

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was on a two-day official visit to Bangladesh from 23 to 24 August. The visit took place at the invitation of Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Advisor. During this, Dar also met Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

The two countries signed a bilateral agreement and five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during this visit. The signing ceremony took place in Dhaka on Sunday afternoon, in which Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Mohammad Tauhid Hussain and Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar were present.

What was the agreement?

The agreement between the two countries includes visa exemption for government and diplomatic passport holders. Besides, the five MoUs include formation of joint working group on trade between the two countries, cultural exchange, cooperation between foreign service academies, cooperation between state news agencies, and cooperation between Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and Pakistan's Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI).

Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan's Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Bangladesh's Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin held talks in Dhaka. The aim of the talks was to strengthen economic cooperation, mutual investment and bilateral trade.