Shah Faisal Kakar :
Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan
Pakistan and Bangladesh enjoy good brotherly relations which are rooted in common religion, history, cultural heritage and united by a joint struggle for independence. It was Dhaka from where concerted efforts were originated for the political rightsof Muslims of the Subcontinent resulting in the establishment of All India Muslim League in December 1906, when Nawab of Dhaka moved a resolution for establishing a Muslim organization to be called the All India Muslim League. Sher e Bengal AK Fazlul Haque inspired the minds of millions of Muslims of the subcontinent withhis historic demand for an independent homeland for the Muslims in 1940 in the form ofthe Lahore Resolution.
This paved the way for the creation of Pakistanon 14 August 1947 and the ultimate emergence of Bangladesh on the world map in 1971.
As sovereign independent States, relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh started in 1974 when, forgetting the bitterness of the past, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman visited Pakistan on the invitation of Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to attend the second meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) held in Lahore from 22nd to 24th February, 1974. It was on this historic occasion that Pakistan formally recognized Bangladesh as a sovereign independent State, thus, facilitating its entry into OIC. This visit of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Pakistan and the reciprocal visit of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Bangladesh in June 1974 set the stage for the future warm relations between the two brotherly Muslim States. The warmth showed by the people of Pakistan and Bangladesh during these visits and the statement of Sheikh Mujibur Rahmanthat “he wanted the people to forget the past and to make a fresh start”had certainly raised the expectationsthat momentary differences might separate the brothers, but their hearts continued to throb together.
Today, the love of the people of Pakistan and Bangladesh for each other can be seen on the cricket field.Both Pakistani and Bangladeshi spectators celebrate the victory of each other’s team against a third country as their own victory. Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Tamim Iqbal have the same number of fans in Pakistan as in Bangladesh and likewise Wasim Akram, and Shahid Afridi is as popular in Bangladesh as in Pakistan.
Not only the social bonds are strengthening mutual ties, especially between the younger generations. Likewise,economic and commercial relations have also shown positive upward trajectory in recent years in the form of bilateral trade that has gone up to the US $ 790 million from 685 milliondollars in 2016-17.Bangladesh ranks amongst top export destinations of Pakistan. Still, there are huge opportunities for improvement in bilateral trade to the mutual benefit of both.Pakistani exports -raw cotton, electronics,and electrical goods, motorbikes, CNG Rickshaws, etc.- have a huge potential in Bangladesh0 that could be imported at very competitive rates. Cooperation in economic and trade will not only alleviate poverty which is the common problem of both the countries but will also go a long way to rejuvenate business potentials.
Pakistanis are jubilant at the success stories of Bangladesh, like the recent graduation of Bangladesh from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category to a developing nation.
Also, Pakistan appreciates the generosity and benevolence shown by Bangladesh government to the hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas Muslims fleeing violence in Rakhine by providing them shelter.Pakistan supports Bangladesh at all international fora in its efforts for a peaceful solution to this humanitarian crisis. It is high time for the international community to pay heed to the plight of the most prosecuted community on the earth.
The newly elected political leadership of Pakistan has expressed its solemn desire to promote good friendly relations with all neighbouring countries, especially the Muslim States.
This would surely give a fresh impetus to the ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The gravity of growth has shifted to Asia and now it is the turn of people of this region to see development and prosperity leaving behind the past and looking forward to a bright future.
Pakistan wishes to have enviable relations with Bangladesh and pray for a peaceful, prosperous, stable and strong Bangladesh because we believe that a vibrant Bangladesh is vital for a peaceful and stable South Asia.
Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan
Pakistan and Bangladesh enjoy good brotherly relations which are rooted in common religion, history, cultural heritage and united by a joint struggle for independence. It was Dhaka from where concerted efforts were originated for the political rightsof Muslims of the Subcontinent resulting in the establishment of All India Muslim League in December 1906, when Nawab of Dhaka moved a resolution for establishing a Muslim organization to be called the All India Muslim League. Sher e Bengal AK Fazlul Haque inspired the minds of millions of Muslims of the subcontinent withhis historic demand for an independent homeland for the Muslims in 1940 in the form ofthe Lahore Resolution.
This paved the way for the creation of Pakistanon 14 August 1947 and the ultimate emergence of Bangladesh on the world map in 1971.
As sovereign independent States, relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh started in 1974 when, forgetting the bitterness of the past, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman visited Pakistan on the invitation of Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to attend the second meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) held in Lahore from 22nd to 24th February, 1974. It was on this historic occasion that Pakistan formally recognized Bangladesh as a sovereign independent State, thus, facilitating its entry into OIC. This visit of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Pakistan and the reciprocal visit of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Bangladesh in June 1974 set the stage for the future warm relations between the two brotherly Muslim States. The warmth showed by the people of Pakistan and Bangladesh during these visits and the statement of Sheikh Mujibur Rahmanthat “he wanted the people to forget the past and to make a fresh start”had certainly raised the expectationsthat momentary differences might separate the brothers, but their hearts continued to throb together.
Today, the love of the people of Pakistan and Bangladesh for each other can be seen on the cricket field.Both Pakistani and Bangladeshi spectators celebrate the victory of each other’s team against a third country as their own victory. Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Tamim Iqbal have the same number of fans in Pakistan as in Bangladesh and likewise Wasim Akram, and Shahid Afridi is as popular in Bangladesh as in Pakistan.
Not only the social bonds are strengthening mutual ties, especially between the younger generations. Likewise,economic and commercial relations have also shown positive upward trajectory in recent years in the form of bilateral trade that has gone up to the US $ 790 million from 685 milliondollars in 2016-17.Bangladesh ranks amongst top export destinations of Pakistan. Still, there are huge opportunities for improvement in bilateral trade to the mutual benefit of both.Pakistani exports -raw cotton, electronics,and electrical goods, motorbikes, CNG Rickshaws, etc.- have a huge potential in Bangladesh0 that could be imported at very competitive rates. Cooperation in economic and trade will not only alleviate poverty which is the common problem of both the countries but will also go a long way to rejuvenate business potentials.
Pakistanis are jubilant at the success stories of Bangladesh, like the recent graduation of Bangladesh from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category to a developing nation.
Also, Pakistan appreciates the generosity and benevolence shown by Bangladesh government to the hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas Muslims fleeing violence in Rakhine by providing them shelter.Pakistan supports Bangladesh at all international fora in its efforts for a peaceful solution to this humanitarian crisis. It is high time for the international community to pay heed to the plight of the most prosecuted community on the earth.
The newly elected political leadership of Pakistan has expressed its solemn desire to promote good friendly relations with all neighbouring countries, especially the Muslim States.
This would surely give a fresh impetus to the ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The gravity of growth has shifted to Asia and now it is the turn of people of this region to see development and prosperity leaving behind the past and looking forward to a bright future.
Pakistan wishes to have enviable relations with Bangladesh and pray for a peaceful, prosperous, stable and strong Bangladesh because we believe that a vibrant Bangladesh is vital for a peaceful and stable South Asia.
