Bangladesh-Pakistan foreign secretary-level talks after a decade and a half

The sixth foreign secretary-level bilateral consultation between Bangladesh and Pakistan has been held after a decade and a half. Following the meeting held in Dhaka on Thursday (17 April), both sides expressed their desire to strengthen bilateral relations. However, there was no mention in Pakistan's statement regarding the demands for an apology for the wartime atrocities of 1971 and pre-independence due assets raised by the Bangladesh side.

During the meeting led by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin and Pakistan Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, detailed discussions were held on cooperation in political, economic, educational, and cultural sectors. A statement from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that recent high-level contacts between the two countries in New York, Cairo, and Jeddah have played a positive role in improving relations. Emphasis was placed on increasing trade, agriculture, education, and connectivity.

Pakistan offered scholarships for Bangladeshi students at agricultural universities, while Bangladesh stated it would provide training opportunities in fisheries and marine research to Pakistan. In a briefing after the meeting, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin clearly stated, "We have demanded that Pakistan make a formal apology for the genocide, torture, and war crimes committed by the Pakistani army and their collaborators in 1971."

In addition, a claim was made for 4.32 billion dollars as Bangladesh's due share in pre-1971 joint assets. But these issues were completely ignored in Pakistan's official statement. While Islamabad spoke of reviving diplomatic relations, it avoided these emotional and historical demands of Bangladesh. Diplomatic analyst Dr. Mehedi Hasan said, "This silence from Pakistan shows that they want to avoid the complex questions of history. But these issues are extremely important to the people of Bangladesh."

On the other hand, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "The discussions are progressing step by step. It is hoped that in the future these sensitive issues will also move towards a resolution." Both countries emphasized continuing regular discussions. However, it remains to be seen how seriously Pakistan takes Bangladesh's demands. Whether these talks will bring new momentum to the relations between the two countries now depends on Pakistan acknowledging its historical liability and fulfilling Bangladesh's fair demands.