Dhaka to raise 1971 issues during Pakistan’s Deputy PM’s visit: Touhid Hossain

Referring to 1971 issues with Pakistan, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Monday said each issue would be on the table for discussions as Dhaka is set to receive his Pakistani counterpart on August 23.

"Each issue will be on the table," Adviser Hossain told reporters when asked whether Bangladesh will raise the issues of seeking public apology by Pakistan and due compensation.

Talking to the journalists at the Foreign Service Academy, Hossain said the interim government is approaching in a "pragmatic way" in terms of its relations with Pakistan, stressing that everything will be on the table for discussion during Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar's scheduled visit later this month.

During Foreign Secretary level talks in Dhaka on April 17, Bangladesh raised historical unsettled issues with Pakistan, including a formal public apology for the atrocities committed against Bangladesh during 1971 War of Liberation by the Pakistan forces and pending financial claims from Pakistan.

These issues need to be resolved for having a solid foundation of our relations, said then Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin.

Responding to a question, Adviser Hossain, said Bangladesh does not decide how India develops its relations with Pakistan and the same way India does not decide how Bangladesh develops its relations with Pakistan.

Hossain said they do not want to see one aspect of relations gets stuck for another aspect of the relations.

Bangladesh sees willingness from the Pakistan side to remain engaged on those issues as the talks began between Dhaka and Islamabad after 15 years.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on August 23 to discuss ways to strengthen coordination with Bangladesh.

He will have a bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on August 24 in addition to his other engagements.

His previous scheduled visit to Bangladesh in April was postponed.

The visit was postponed amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and India following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.

"Owing to unforeseen circumstances, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan is unable to undertake the visit to Bangladesh on 27-28 April 2025," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan at that time.

Later, the two sides finalised new date through mutual consultations.

In July last week, Bangladesh and Pakistan expressed deep concern over the ongoing Israeli aggression and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Palestine, reiterating their unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and their just cause.

The message was conveyed during a meeting between Ishaq Dar and Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain, held on the sidelines of the International Conference on the Two-State Solution at the United Nations.

This was their fourth meeting since October 2024.

They also reviewed bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening political, economic and cultural cooperation, while exploring ways to enhance connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka said.

The two sides agreed to undertake high-level visits in the near future.