The PNS Saif, commanded by Captain Shujaat Abbas Raja, was greeted at sea by the Bangladesh Navy ship BNS Shadhinota, which offered a ceremonial salute and escorted it to port. During the visit, naval officers from both countries are expected to hold discussions on enhancing maritime collaboration. The visit is scheduled to conclude on November 12.
Bangladesh Navy Chief Admiral M. Shaheen Iqbal welcomed Pakistani officials, highlighting that the visit would bolster friendship between the navies. Pakistani Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf is also in Bangladesh on a four-day visit. The development follows the visit of Pakistan’s top military commander, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who met with interim government head Muhammad Yunus.
PNS Saif, sold by China to Pakistan in 2010, reportedly faces a faulty HP 5 stabiliser, a critical component for maintaining stability at sea. Similar issues have been reported in other ships of the same class.
The visit coincides with the signing of six bilateral agreements in August to enhance cooperation in trade, education, diplomacy, media, and cultural exchanges. These include a visa-free agreement for official and diplomatic passport holders, the formation of a trade working group, and collaboration between diplomatic training institutes and media agencies.
The arrival of the Pakistani warship is significant given the history of 1971, when Pakistan’s military conducted Operation Searchlight in East Pakistan, resulting in mass killings and widespread atrocities. Strategically, Chittagong port’s proximity to India’s eastern coast has raised concerns about potential implications for India’s maritime security, especially as Pakistan and China enhance their naval presence in the Bay of Bengal.
The visit reflects a growing warming of Bangladesh-Pakistan ties under the interim government, even as India-Bangladesh relations remain tense.
