Cover Story

Uphill Task

If the Awami League has been marginalized after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina from power, it doesn’t mean that India’s role and influence in Bangladesh is over.

By Dr. Moonis Ahmar | January 2025


Following the regime change in Bangladesh in August 2024, the post-Hasina period in the country marked a relative transformation in Pakistan-Bangladesh ties. When Sheikh Hasina’s regime was toppled after months of violent student movement, the interim set-up led by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus unleashed a process of mending fences in Bangladesh-Pakistan relations as the two countries embarked on a gradual normalization of relations. The meeting between the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Bangladeshi Chief Adviser on December 19 on the sidelines of the D-8 summit held in Cairo further accentuated hope for expediting the Bangladesh-Pakistan normalization process. The two sides examined measures to augment trade, commercial, travel, cultural, and people-to-people interaction between Bangladesh and Pakistan in the coming times.

Why is mending fences in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations still an uphill task? Despite 53 years of separation, why can the two countries not follow a visionary roadmap to help overcome the hangover of the past and move forward? Despite Islamabad’s positive approach, why is the Yunus regime cautious about resuming direct flights and easing visa issuance? Why is trade between Pakistan and Bangladesh not picking up faster, and why is the joint commission of the two countries established during President Pervez Musharraf’s visit to Dhaka in July 2002 almost non-functional?

The dawn of 2025 may augur well for mending fences in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations. Still, it all depends on the domestic dynamics of Dhaka, how the Yunus regime can grapple with the legitimacy issue, India’s influence in subverting the Pakistan-Bangladesh normalization process, and the role of the Awami League in regaining power.

According to the reports, the first direct maritime link between Pakistan and Bangladesh was established in November 2024 “when the Panama-flagged vessel Yuan Xiang Fa Zhan arrived at Chittagong Port from Karachi. The vessel carried goods from Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, including raw materials for Bangladesh’s garment industry and essential foodstuffs. The direct shipping route between the two countries has been described as a “major step” towards enhancing regional trade. It has the potential to save both time and money and create new opportunities for businesses on both sides”. Furthermore, in 2024, exports from Pakistan to Bangladesh amounted to 66 million dollars, while imports from Bangladesh stood at 56.55 million dollars, reflecting a trade balance favoring Islamabad. Exports to Bangladesh consist of cotton fabrics, fruits, chemicals, and cement, whereas imports from Bangladesh are jute, medicines, and tea.

The Pakistan High Commissioner to Dhaka, Syed Ahmed Maroof, and his predecessor, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, played a pivotal role in mending fences in relations with Bangladesh. Launching maritime trade between Karachi and Chittagong will reduce item costs, which would be a win-win situation for the two countries. If the two sides express substantial political will and determination in the future, 12 potential areas of cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh can be identified.

1. Enhancing maritime trade to augment the level of commercial activities.
2. Reactivating joint commission.
3. Revitalizing educational ties.
4. Augmenting cultural cooperation.
5. Direct air links.
6. Connectivity in information technology.
7. Cooperation to combat extremism and terrorism.
8. Easing of Visa issuance, preferably on arrival visa.
9. Promoting youth links.
10. Tourism.
11. Joint cooperation in the banking sector.
12. Declaring Karachi and Chittagong and Lahore and Dhaka as sister cities.

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One thought on “Uphill Task

  • January 19, 2025 at 3:42 am
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    Perspective summary! And how much better would the whole subcontinent be if Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal (or all the original SAARC nations) could seriously come to understand each other and progressively increase peaceful collaboration!

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