Bangladesh and Pakistan Revive Economic Relations After Two Decades of Limited Engagement

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Bangladesh and Pakistan have committed to elevate their economic, trade, and investment relations to a "new strategic level," signaling an improvement in diplomatic ties between the formerly estranged nations.

The ninth meeting of the Joint Economic Commission took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, marking the first such gathering since 2005.

According to a Monday statement from Bangladesh's Economic Relations Division, the discussions centered on bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, including agriculture, energy, education, banking, and tourism.

These two countries, which separated more than 50 years ago following a bloody civil war, are gradually rebuilding relations after Sheikh Hasina's removal as Bangladesh's leader. Hasina's administration had maintained strong connections with India, Pakistan's regional rival.

In August, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Bangladesh and met with interim leader Muhammad Yunus and other officials. During this visit, both nations agreed to remove visa restrictions for diplomats and government officials.

The current economic talks were headed by Bangladesh's Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed and Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik.