Pakistan and Bangladesh agreed to deepen bilateral ties as their prime ministers met on Thursday on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described his meeting with his counterpart, Tarique Rahman, in a post on the social media platform X as “a warm and most cordial exchange.”
Shehbaz reaffirmed “Pakistan’s resolve to further deepen mutually beneficial bilateral relations”, while Tarique reciprocated the sentiment, expressing his government’s keen desire to enhance Bangladesh-Pakistan ties according to a Pakistani government statement.
“The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen further cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, education, tourism and people-to-people contacts.
“The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments and emphasised the importance of continued coordination at multilateral fora, particularly the UN,” it added.
Tarique and Shehbaz underscored the importance of developing Bangladesh-Pakistan relations based on mutual respect, understanding and cooperation, news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported.
The two leaders stressed the need for regular communication and dialogue on issues of common interest, it said.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were present at the meeting, while the Bangladesh prime minister was accompanied by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and State Minister Humayun Kabir.
Bangladesh and Pakistan have seen a significant improvement in their relations since Sheikh Hasina’s administration in Dhaka was ousted in a popular uprising in August 2024.
The two countries have restored direct air and shipping links and stepped up senior-level interactions.
