Bangladesh on Sunday urged the early resolution of longstanding historical issues, including a formal official apology for the 1971 genocide committed by Pakistan, division of assets and transfer of foreign aid intended for the 1970 cyclone victims, and repatriation of stranded Pakistanis.
Bangladesh emphasised that addressing these matters is crucial to establishing a solid foundation for enduring and forward-looking bilateral relations between Dhaka and Islamabad, as Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar is visiting Dhaka on an official trip.
Talking to reporters at the Foreign Service Academy after a meeting, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said they raised all three unresolved issues. "We have agreed to resolve them to advance our bilateral relations further," Hossain said.
Without seeking apology for 1971 genocide, Ishaq Dar, however, claimed the issues of 1971 were settled twice.
"On the matter of unresolved issues, what I want to say is that the first settlement took place in 1974," he said, adding that and the document of that time is historic for both countries.
"Then (former Pakistan Dictator) General Pervez Musharraf came here (to Bangladesh) and resolved the issue openly. As a result, the issue was resolved twice. Once in 1974, and again in the early 2000s," he added.
Bangladesh’s three unresolved issues with Pakistan are an official apology for the 1971 Liberation War genocide, the return of due assets, and the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis. "The issues accumulated over 54 years cannot be solved overnight. But we have agreed to address them over the due course of time," he added.
Bangladesh and Pakistan also expressed the hope that stronger bilateral relations would contribute positively to peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia and beyond.
They exchanged views on regional and international matters of mutual interest and concern.
Bangladesh and Pakistan reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen bilateral ties for the mutual benefit of their peoples. The bilateral meeting took place in a "spirit of warmth and goodwill, reflecting the brotherly relations" between the two countries and their shared desire to augment engagement and cooperation, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Foreign Affairs Adviser emphasised the importance of deepening collaborative bilateral relations founded on mutual respect, understanding and shared interests.
During the meeting, both sides engaged in a candid and constructive discussion on a wide range of bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest and affirmed their mutual commitment to enhancing cooperation in all potential areas including trade, investment, agriculture, education, health, energy, connectivity, people-to-people contact, culture, tourism and disaster management.
Bangladesh underscored the importance of unlocking the untapped potential across all sectors, as both sides recognised the importance of regular diplomatic and sectoral engagements in this regard.
The Foreign Affairs Adviser underscored the importance of enhancing economic and commercial engagement to fully leverage each other’s complementarities, and emphasised the important role of the private sectors of both countries in this regard.
The two sides expressed satisfaction that significant progress has been made in simplifying visa processes, improving maritime connectivity and to resume air connectivity.
Ishaq Dar informed that Pakistan is in the process of launching the 'Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor,' under which 500 scholarships will be awarded to Bangladeshi students for higher studies in Pakistan over the next five years. One-quarter of these scholarships will be awarded in the field of medicine.
He also conveyed Pakistan’s readiness to provide advanced medical treatment, including limb replacement for 40 individuals including students injured during the July Uprising in Bangladesh.
Referring to the eighth anniversary of the Rohingya Genocide and their forced displacement from decades of persecution, human rights violations and genocidal atrocities in their homeland, Myanmar, Bangladesh requested continued support from Pakistan in her pursuit of early safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Both sides also strongly condemned the ongoing genocidal atrocities, grave human rights violations and starvation campaign committed by the Israeli Occupying Forces against the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip and west bank and called upon the international community to act urgently to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Both sides reiterated the importance of strengthening cooperation in SAARC, OIC, the United Nations, and other multilateral forums to promote the shared objectives for peace and development.
Pakistan has offered to train a hockey team from Bangladesh.
They also expressed hope that stronger bilateral relations would contribute positively to peace, stability, and prosperity in South Asia and beyond.
They exchanged views on regional and international matters of mutual interest and concern.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan extended an invitation to the Foreign Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh to visit Islamabad.
The bilateral meeting was followed by a signing ceremony in the presence of the Foreign Affairs Adviser and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
The Advisers on Home Affairs, Commerce, and Information of Bangladesh and Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, who is on an official visit to Bangladesh, were also present during the signing.
During the visit, Bangladesh and Pakistan signed an agreement on the abolition of visas for diplomatic and official passport holders, a cultural exchange programme, and four MoUs on cooperation in trade, between news agencies, foreign service academies, and think tanks of the two countries.