Bangladesh and Pakistan have engaged in discussions aimed at strengthening trade relations and addressing the trade gap between the two nations. The dialogue took place during a courtesy call by Pakistan's Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific), Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, on Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Md. Jashim Uddin, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, reads a press release.
The two diplomats emphasised the importance of revitalising the Foreign Secretary Level Consultations, last held in 2010, and the Joint Economic Commission, which last convened in 2005. Both sides expressed satisfaction with recent trade delegations from Pakistan to Bangladesh and underscored the need for similar product-specific trade delegations from Bangladesh to Pakistan to explore opportunities for collaboration.
Efforts to strengthen cooperation in tourism, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people contacts were also discussed, along with broader issues such as regional cooperation through SAARC, OIC, and D-8. The conversation further touched on addressing the plight of forcibly displaced Rohingyas and fostering multilateral collaboration on international platforms.
The meeting is expected to pave the way for enhanced economic ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan, fostering mutual growth and regional integration. Ambassador Siddiqui, who was accompanied by the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh, Syed Ahmed Maroof, also delivered a letter from Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to the Adviser for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh.
