Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus Meets Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif at UNGA: Strengthening Diplomatic Ties Amid Political Changes

The encounter between Muhammad Yunus and Shehbaz Sharif marks their second meeting to date.

New York:

Bangladesh's interim government Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus engaged in discussions with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

According to Chief Advisor's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Wednesday's meeting (local time) centered on strengthening trade and economic relationships between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

This represents the second encounter between Yunus and Sharif, following their previous meeting during last year's UNGA session, indicating increased diplomatic engagement between Dhaka and Islamabad since the removal of the democratically elected Awami League government under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

During the former Awami League government's 15-year administration, relations between Dhaka and Islamabad remained tense, primarily due to war crimes trials in Bangladesh and broader regional political differences.

Historical points of contention in Bangladesh-Pakistan relations have consistently included Pakistan's involvement in the 1971 genocide during Bangladesh's Liberation War, the repatriation of stranded assets, and compensation matters.

However, diplomatic dynamics have transformed dramatically following the establishment of the interim government led by Yunus in August 2024.

In a significant diplomatic development last month, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar conducted a two-day official visit to Dhaka, representing the first state-level visit by a Pakistani official to Bangladesh in 13 years.

During this diplomatic engagement, Dar asserted that the longstanding 1971 genocide issue had been resolved on two previous occasions, a claim promptly refuted by Dhaka.

The two nations, estranged since the brutal 1971 Liberation War—during which Pakistani forces killed millions and reportedly committed sexual violence against hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi women—are now showing indications of diplomatic reconciliation.

Alam further reported that beyond the meeting with Pakistan's Prime Minister, Yunus participated in individual discussions with three additional world leaders: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani during the third day of his New York visit.

"Each meeting carried significant importance, and we can confidently state that our diplomatic relations with these nations have reached unprecedented levels through these engagements," Bangladeshi media outlet BSS quoted Alam as saying during a press briefing in New York.

Alam highlighted that Finland and Italy have pledged their support for Bangladesh's upcoming national elections to facilitate a democratic transition within the country.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh continues to face mounting uncertainty and political instability ahead of next year's electoral process.

The political factions that previously collaborated with Muhammad Yunus to remove the democratically elected Awami League government under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are now experiencing significant internal conflict.