Dar claims '71 issues resolved; Dhaka says no, seeks apology for lasting ties

 Bangladesh has urged Pakistan to resolve long-standing historic issues, including a formal apology for the genocide committed in 1971 and the division of assets, to lay a strong foundation for lasting and forward-looking bilateral relations.

During a meeting between Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Dhaka today, Bangladesh also called for the transfer of foreign aid allocated for the victims of the 1970 cyclone and the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh.

Ishaq Dar, however, claimed that two of the three unresolved issues from 1971, including an apology from Pakistan for the genocide, were settled long ago. However, Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain said Bangladesh does not agree with that stand.

"As for the unresolved issues, I want to say that the matter was first settled in 1974. The document of that time is historic for both countries," Dar said while speaking to reporters after a meeting with Touhid at a Dhaka hotel this afternoon.

"Later, General Pervez Musharraf came here and openly and candidly resolved the matter. So, the issue has been resolved twice – once in 1974 and again in the early 2000s," he added.

In response to a question on whether Bangladesh agrees with the Pakistani foreign minister's remarks, Adviser Touhid said at a separate press conference at the Foreign Service Academy, "Certainly not. We have presented our position, and they have presented theirs."

Meanwhile, in a press release today, the foreign ministry said the long outstanding historic issues include a formal official apology for the genocide committed by Pakistan in 1971, division of assets, transfer of foreign aid that was meant for the cyclone victims of 1970, repatriation of stranded Pakistanis.

The release said Bangladesh called for their early resolution in order to establish a solid foundation for enduring and forward-looking bilateral relations.

During the foreign office consultation in last April, Bangladesh formally raised its demand for $4.52 billion in financial claims from Pakistan, comprising its fair share of undivided Pakistan's pre-1971 assets, including aid money, provident funds, and savings instruments.

"However, regarding the stranded Pakistanis, there is a High Court verdict. Migration experts have long been urging a solution in light of that ruling. We will hold further discussions on this matter in the future," said Touhid.

He also said Bangladesh and Pakistan have agreed to resolve long-standing unresolved historical issues through dialogue in order to advance bilateral relations.

"It would be wrong to expect that 54 years of problems will be solved in a single day. Both countries have presented their respective positions on these issues," the adviser told journalists at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy after the meeting with Ishaq Dar.

"However, both countries have agreed that in order to move relations forward, the historical issues must be resolved through discussion," he added.

Ishaq Dar arrived in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon (23 August) on a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, marking the first state visit to Bangladesh in 13 years.