Pakistan | Bangladesh |
---|---|
Diplomatic mission | |
High Commission of Pakistan, Islamabad | High Commission of Bangladesh, Dhaka |
Envoy | |
High Commissioner Syed Ahmed Maroof | High Commissioner Md. Iqbal Hussain Khan |
Bangladesh and Pakistan are both South Asian Muslim-majority countries. [1] [2] Following the end of British rule in India, the two countries formed a single state for 24 years. [3] The Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 resulted in the secession of East Pakistan as the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Pakistan (formerly West Pakistan) recognized Bangladesh in 1974. [4] Today, bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan are considered to be cordial.
The two countries are both founding members of SAARC, as well as members of the Developing 8 Countries, the OIC and the Commonwealth of Nations. Both are classified as Next Eleven emerging economies. Bangladesh has a High Commission in Islamabad and Deputy High Commission in Karachi. Pakistan has a High Commission in Dhaka.
When the East India Company conquered Punjab in 1849, a substantial portion of its Indian staff that settled around Lahore was Bengali. [5]
As part of the Partition of India in 1947, Bengal was partitioned between the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The Pakistani part of Bengal was known as East Bengal until 1955 and thereafter as East Pakistan following the implementation of the One Unit program.
Bilateral relations between the two wings grew strained over the lack of official recognition for the Bengali language, democracy, regional autonomy, disparity between the two wings, ethnic discrimination, and the central government's weak and inefficient relief efforts after the 1970 Bhola cyclone, which had affected millions in East Pakistan. These grievances led to several political agitations in East Bengal and ultimately a fight for full independence. In early March 1971, 300 Biharis were slaughtered in rioting by Bengali mobs in Chittagong. The massacre was used by the Pakistan Armed Forces as a justification to launch "Operation Searchlight", which targeted intellectuals, political activists, Hindus and other minorities. [6] The number of people killed by Pakistani forces remains disputed, with estimates ranging from 300,000 to 3 million. [7] [8] About 8–10 million people became refugees in India. [9] Many Bengali policemen and soldiers mutinied and nationalists formed a guerrilla force, the Mukti Bahini with Soviet and Indian support.
When the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 broke out between West Pakistan and India, the joint forces of India and Mukti Bahini (later known as the Bangladesh Armed forces) defeated Pakistani forces in East Pakistan. Subsequently, the independent state of Bangladesh was created. [10]
The left-oriented Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who had been the main political opponent of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, came into power in the aftermath of Bangladesh's separation from Pakistan. Initially, Pakistan was not in favour of recognizing Bangladesh and urged other states to hold back their recognition until Pakistan could enter into a dialogue with Bangladeshi leadership. Bangladesh, on its part, insisted on recognition as a pre-condition for dialogue. In 1972, Pakistan left the Commonwealth after some members of the Commonwealth extended membership to Bangladesh. Pakistan also severed ties with other countries which recognized Bangladesh. [11] [12]
On the issue of Bangladesh's application for membership to the UN, China, on Pakistan's request, exercised its veto power for the first time to stall the move, which helped Pakistan to secure in a bargain the release of its prisoners of war and the return of troops to their pre-war positions. [13]
In 1974, the relationship between Bangladesh and Pakistan thawed. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman withdrew the bans on some pro-Pakistan organisations, that had operated before Bangladesh's independence. Mujib visited Lahore for an OIC Islamic summit, and in return, the Parliament of Pakistan authorised Bhutto to extend recognition to Bangladesh. [14] In June 1974, Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto visited Bangladesh and paid homage to Bangladesh's war memorial at Savar Upazila. [15] Both nations discussed an agreement in 1975 in which Bangladesh agreed to take up half of Pakistan's pre-1971 external reserves provided Bangladesh received half of the country's pre-1971 assets and credit went unresolved. [16]
Relations normalized quite under the governments of Ziaur Rahman and Hussain Muhammad Ershad in Bangladesh, which had grown more distant from its usual allies, like India and Russia. [16] [17] Five Pakistani heads of government have made official visits to Bangladesh since the 1980s and numerous trade and cultural agreements have been signed. [18] Common concerns over terrorism have influenced strategic cooperation leading to a gift of several squadrons of F-6 fighter aircraft to the Bangladesh Air Force in the late 1980s, Although, there was no serious effort to maintain them as they were later left to be destroyed by a cyclone. [18] Trade between the two countries currently stands at $340 million[ when? ] which was described by the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Ruhul Alam Siddique as 'negligible when taking into account the combined population' (of both countries). Areas he hoped would induce investment from Pakistan to Bangladesh included the textiles and energy sectors. [19] [20]
In 1985, Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq visited the Bangladeshi war memorial, and said "Your heroes are our heroes." [15] Bangladeshi President Ershad visited Islamabad in 1986. [16] In 1998, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Pakistan. [15] In July 2002, Pakistani General Pervez Musharraf also visited the war memorial and said "Your brothers and sisters in Pakistan share the pain of the events of 1971." [15]
Relationship, however suffer miserable under first term of Khaleda Zia in 1991 to 1996. As exactly 30,000 Biharis were deported from Bangladesh. During a India–Pakistan cricket match, several Biharis were killed for supporting Pakistan and Pakistani flags were burned. Khaleda Zia refused to take in Bengalis returning from Pakistan. [21]
In his history of Bangladesh, Craig Baxter gives a general assessment of the relations between both countries:
As united Pakistan, both the countries of Pakistan and Bangladesh had sought independence from India in 1947 because they were concerned about the progress and security of Muslims in a Hindu majority state. As separate countries they continue to share a community of interests in limiting the dominance of India as well as a common Islamic position. [22]
In December 2013, Bangladeshi Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Islamist leader Abdul Quader Molla, dubbed the "butcher of Mirpur", [23] was executed in Bangladesh for war crimes. [24] Following the execution, the lower house National Assembly of Pakistan issued a statement condemning execution, claiming it to be politically motivated. [25] Pakistan's Interior Minister expressed sadness that Molla was executed for his "loyalty towards Pakistan". [26]
As a result of Pakistan's reactions, Bangladesh summoned the Pakistani High Commissioner, conveying its displeasure at Pakistan's interference in its internal matters. [25] Bangladesh conveyed its displeasure at the National Assembly statement, Punjab Provincial Assembly statement, as well as the remarks by Pakistan's Interior Minister. [27] Protesters in Bangladesh also took to the streets to express their displeasure by marching towards the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka. [28]
In two separate incidents, officials of the Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka were alleged to be financing the terrorist activities of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh organization. Diplomatic official Mazhar Khan was charged by Bangladesh's foreign ministry of running an illegal Indian currency business in Dhaka beside alleged links with militants. [29] However, Pakistan's foreign office maintains that allegations against him are baseless and the incident is unfortunate. [30]
In December 2015, Pakistan withdrew the diplomat Farina Arshad after Bangladeshi authorities asked the diplomat to leave for reportedly having "extended financial support to a suspected militant who faces spying charges". [31] Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operative Idris Sheikh, who also holds Pakistani nationality, had claimed he had received money from her and was in contact with her for some time. [32] Pakistan has withdrawn one of its diplomats from Bangladesh after "harassment", the foreign ministry said. A formal statement from Islamabad dismissed the charges as "baseless", adding "an incessant and orchestrated media campaign was launched against her on spurious charges". [33]
In January 2016, Islamabad asked Dhaka to recall senior diplomat Moushumi Rahman from its High Commission in Islamabad within 48 hours. Diplomatic sources in Islamabad told the media that Rahman was allegedly involved in "anti-state activities in Pakistan" and that concerned security agencies continued to monitor her. [34]
Following the election of Imran Khan as Prime Minister of Pakistan, the two countries slowly began to normalise ties. Khan made a phone call to Sheikh Hasina in July 2020 following Bangladesh's foreign policy announcement of "friendship to all and malice to none", inviting her to Islamabad. Hasina later mentioned that she was interested in strengthening bilateral ties with Pakistan. [35] Following a meeting with Shahriar Alam on 7 January 2021, the Government of Pakistan removed all visa requirements for Bangladeshi citizens. [36]
There has been efforts to improve relations after the Sheikh Hasina ouster in August 2024. In October 2024, Bangladeshi Foreign Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain said that it would be easier to normalize relations if Pakistan apologises for the events of '71. [37] On 19 December 2024, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif met on the sidelines of D8 summit in Egypt, where Yunus urged Sharif to resolve the unsolved issues of 1971. Sharif asserted that main issues had been resolved though 1974 Shimla Agreement and if there were other outstanding issues, he also would have liked to overview. The two leaders also expressed their desire to extend cooperation in new areas such as the sugar industry and dengue management. [38] [39]
In November 2024, for the first time since the independence of Bangladesh, a Pakistani cargo ship docked in Chittagong Port; [40] while in October the government of Bangladesh ended the practice of "mandatory 100% physical inspection" for Pakistani imports. [41]
There has been a presence of people from modern day Bangladesh in present-day Pakistan going back generations, even during the times of the British Raj. This continued from 1971 onwards and extended into the 1980s, when massive numbers of Bangladeshis entered Pakistan. This led to a crackdown by the government of Benazir Bhutto in the 1990s, after public resentment and complaints of crime and social unrest. [42] Today, there are about an estimated two million unregistered Bangladeshis in Pakistan. [43] There has been a small number of Bangladeshi expatriate students studying in Pakistan but that number has been on the decline mainly due to security concerns in the country. [44]
An issue of continuing controversy is the status and return of Biharis (also called Stranded Pakistanis [a] [45] ) to Pakistan. [46] Numbered around 540,000, these communities had migrated to what became East Pakistan from the Indian state of Bihar after the partition of India in 1947. [16] During the Bangladesh Liberation War, these communities supported the Pakistani government and later wanted to emigrate to Pakistan, which stalled and hesitated. [16] By 1982, about 127,000 had been repatriated, leaving about 250,000 people still demanding repatriation. [16] In 1985, there was some progress in this area when Pakistani president Zia-ul-Haq agreed to accept the "stranded Pakistanis." [16] In a 2002 visit to Bangladesh, Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf signed numerous bilateral agreements but said he could not allow the emigration of Biharis to Pakistan for the time being. [46]
Defence relations improved considerably under the reigns of Ziaur Rahman and Hussain Muhammad Ershad in Bangladesh, which had grown more distant from its war ally, India. Common concerns over India's regional power have influenced strategic cooperation leading to a gift of several squadrons of J-6 fighter aircraft to the Bangladesh Air Force in the late 1980s.
In August 2024, the Yunus interim government ordered for a "fresh supply of artillery ammunition from Pakistan", which included 40,000 ammunition rounds, 2900 high intensity projectiles and 40 tonnes of RDX in "wax consistency". [47]
This section needs to be updated.(June 2020) |
Bilateral trade between the two countries has been growing slowly over the past years. During the eleven-year period between 2000–01 and 2010–11, Pakistan export to Bangladesh grew at an average annual rate of 27.6 percent and imports from Bangladesh grew at the rate of 9.2 percent. The total value of trade (export plus import) between the two countries in 2010-11 was about $983 million. To give a boost to bilateral trade between Pakistan and Bangladesh both countries have decided to finalise a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. FTA will pave the way for opening trade opportunity and will help expansion of trade between the two countries. [48] In November 2024, a cargo ship sailed directly from Pakistan to Bangladesh for the first time in decades. [49]
[50] [51] Major Bangladeshi exports to Pakistan include textiles, agricultural products, leather footwear and other leather products. [50] In fiscal 2022-23, Bangladesh's imports exceeded $68 billion, of which goods imported from Pakistan amounted to $699 million. Exports to Pakistan were around $74 million during the period. Most of the imported goods consist of raw materials for the garment industry.
According to the Pakistan Business Council, in addition to cotton, the list of goods imported by Bangladesh from Pakistan includes salt, sulphur, earths and stones, plastering materials, lime, edible vegetables, raw hides and skins, machinery, inorganic chemicals, man-made staple fibres, plastics, tanning or dyeing extracts, and edible fruits and nuts.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman, activist and diarist, who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As one of the founding leaders of Bangladesh, he had held continuous positions, Initially he served as the president of the Awami League, later as the president of Bangladesh, and then as the prime minister of Bangladesh until his assassination in August 1975. His nationalist ideology, socio-political theories, and political doctrines are collectively known as Mujibism.
Ziaur RahmanBU HJ HOR was a Bangladeshi military officer and politician who served as the sixth President of Bangladesh from 1977 until his assassination in 1981. One of the leading figures of country's independence war, he broadcast the Bangladeshi declaration of independence in March 1971 from Chittagong. He was the founder of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He previously served as the third chief of army staff from 1975 to 1978 with a minor break.
The Bangladesh Liberation War, also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence and known as the Liberation War in Bangladesh, was an armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which resulted in the independence of Bangladesh. The war began when the Pakistani military junta based in West Pakistan—under the orders of Yahya Khan—launched Operation Searchlight against East Pakistanis on the night of 25 March 1971, initiating the Bangladesh genocide.
The independence of Bangladesh was declared from Pakistan on 26 March 1971, celebrated as Independence Day. The Bangladesh Liberation War started on 26 March and lasted till 16 December 1971 which is celebrated as Victory Day in Bangladesh. In the early hours of March 26, 1971, the undisputed leader of Bengali, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, declared independence before being arrested by the Pakistani army. Later many others declared on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Bangladesh genocide was the ethnic cleansing of Bengalis, especially Bengali Hindus, residing in East Pakistan during the Bangladesh Liberation War, perpetrated by the Pakistan Armed Forces and the Razakars. It began on 25 March 1971, as Operation Searchlight was launched by West Pakistan to militarily subdue the Bengali population of East Pakistan; the Bengalis comprised the demographic majority and had been calling for independence from the Pakistani state. Seeking to curtail the Bengali self-determination movement, erstwhile Pakistani president Yahya Khan approved a large-scale military deployment, and in the nine-month-long conflict that ensued, Pakistani soldiers and local pro-Pakistan militias killed between 300,000 and 3,000,000 Bengalis and raped between 200,000 and 400,000 Bengali women in a systematic campaign of mass murder and genocidal sexual violence. In their investigation of the genocide, the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists concluded that Pakistan's campaign involved the attempt to exterminate or forcibly remove a significant portion of the country's Hindu populace. West Pakistanis in particular were shown by the news that the operation was carried out because of the 'rebellion by the East Pakistanis' and many activities at the time were hidden from them, including rape and ethnic cleansing of East Pakistanis by the Pakistani military.
The bilateral relations between the neighboring People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of India, formally began in 1971 with India's recognition of an independent Bangladesh following India's military intervention helping Bangladesh secure independence following the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Humayun Rasheed Choudhury was a Bangladeshi career diplomat and Speaker of the Bangladesh National Parliament from 1996 to 2001. He was elected president of the 41st session of the UN General Assembly in 1986. He was awarded Independence Day Award in 2018 posthumously by the Government of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh-United States relations are the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States of America. For the United States, Bangladesh is the 38th largest goods supplier and 60th largest export market. For Bangladesh, the United States is the largest export market. The two countries signed a bilateral investment treaty in 1986. U.S. companies are the largest foreign investors in Bangladesh. The U.S. government is the leading contributor of humanitarian assistance in response to the Rohingya crisis. Both nations have announced similar views for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
Bangladesh–Russia relations are the foreign relations between Bangladesh and Russia. Bangladesh has an embassy in Moscow and Russia has one in Dhaka and a consulate-general in Chittagong. Diplomatic relations between the USSR and Bangladesh were established on January 25, 1972. These relations have continued with Russia being the successor state to the Soviet Union.
Bengalis in Pakistan are ethnic Bengali people who had lived in either West Pakistan or East Pakistan prior to 1971 or live in present-day Pakistan. Most Pakistani Bengalis, are bilingual speaking both Urdu and Bengali and are mainly settled in Karachi. Bengalis that arrived in Pakistan before 1971 have now assimilated with the Urdu-speaking people in Karachi.
Bangladesh–Bhutan relations are the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Bhutan. The King of Bhutan was the first world leader to announce official recognition of Bangladesh's independence on 6 December 1971. The leadership of both countries have since exchanged many state visits. In 2016, the President of Bangladesh addressed the Parliament of Bhutan. On 6 December 2020, both countries signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with provisions for free trade in certain goods. The signing of the PTA was witnessed by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the Prime Minister of Bhutan.
Bhutan–Pakistan relations refer to foreign relations between Bhutan and Pakistan. Relations have been active at least since 2004. Both nations are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the United Nations. Neither country has a resident ambassador.
The Mukti Bahini, also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was a big tent armed guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military personnel, paramilitary personnel and civilians during the Bangladesh Liberation War that transformed East Pakistan into Bangladesh in 1971. They were initially called the Mukti Fauj.
Bangladesh–Germany relations are the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Germany. Germany has an embassy in Dhaka, and Bangladesh has one in Berlin.
The Bihari minority in Bangladesh were subject to persecution during and after the Bangladesh War of Independence, experiencing widespread discrimination. They largely maintained a pro-Pakistani stance, supported the Pakistan Armed Forces and opposed the independence of Bangladesh and the Bengali language movement of the Bengali Muslims. Biharis faced reprisals from Mukti Bahini and Bengali militias resulting in an estimated death toll ranging from 1,000 to 150,000.
Bangladesh–Turkey relations are the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Turkey. Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Turkey has an embassy in Dhaka and Bangladesh has one in Ankara and a consulate in Istanbul.
Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi is a Pakistani diplomat and author. He served as Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh from 2011 to 2014, and as High Commissioner to New Zealand from 2016 to 2017.
Bangladesh–Belgium relations refers to bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Belgium. Bangladesh has a resident ambassador in Brussels who is also the ambassador of Bangladesh to Luxembourg. Belgium has a non resident ambassador in New Delhi.
The High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad is the chief diplomatic mission of Bangladesh to Pakistan. It is located in Sector F-6 of Islamabad. The present Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Pakistan is Iqbal Hussain Khan, who assumed diplomatic duties in December 2024. Bangladesh also has a Deputy High Commission in Karachi, and an honorary consul in Lahore.
The Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Karachi is a diplomatic mission of Bangladesh in Pakistan. It is located in Phase VI of the Defence Housing Authority in Karachi. The presently designated Deputy High Commissioner is S. M. Mahbubul Alam, who was appointed in 2021. The Deputy High Commission reports to the High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad.