Bangladesh to Address 1971 War Issues During Pakistan Deputy PM’s Visit

1971 War Atrocities on Agenda Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Md Touhid Hossain, confirmed that historical issues from the 1971 Liberation War will be raised during the visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on August 23.

key topics include demands for a public apology from Pakistan and pending financial compensation.

Diplomatic Approach and Regional Balance Hossain emphasized a pragmatic diplomatic approach, noting that while India–Pakistan relations are independent of Bangladesh’s stance, all relevant issues between Dhaka and Islamabad will be open for discussion. 

Reviving Engagement After 15 Years. This upcoming visit follows Foreign Secretary-level talks in April, where Bangladesh first reintroduced demands for historical redress. The visit marks renewed engagement after 15 years of limited diplomatic activity between the two nations.

 Rescheduled Visit and Future Dialogue Dar’s original visit, scheduled for April, was postponed due to tensions between Pakistan and India.

The new date was agreed upon through mutual consultation, with both sides now planning continued high-level exchanges. Shared Position on Palestine Last month, both countries reaffirmed support for Palestine during a meeting at the UN.

This was the fourth meeting between Dar and Hossain since October 2024, where they also discussed ways to boost bilateral political, economic, and cultural ties.

Source: UNB News, Prothom Alo, Kalbela