The high-level talks come just days before Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar바카라™s scheduled visit to Dhaka.
For the first time in 15 years, a senior Pakistani diplomat has arrived in Dhaka to engage in bilateral talks, signaling a renewed diplomatic effort between Bangladesh and Pakistan. The Foreign Office Consultation (FOC), led by Pakistan바카라™s Additional Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and her Bangladeshi counterpart Md Jashim Uddin, marks a significant moment in regional diplomacy, PTI reported.
The timing of the talks is noteworthy, coming amid tensions in India-Bangladesh relations and days ahead of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar바카라™s visit to the Bangladeshi capital.
Analysts suggest Pakistan may be attempting to reassert its influence in Bangladesh, particularly in the wake of shifting regional alliances and political changes following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government. Interim Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has increasingly leaned toward closer ties with China, prompting speculation over Bangladesh바카라™s evolving foreign policy priorities.
The foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries will take place at Padma, the state guest house in Dhaka, on Thursday. India will be watching the developments in Dhaka closely.
Baloch is also likely to meet members of the interim government of Bangladesh including Foreign Affairs Advisor Md Touhid Hussain and Yunus during the visit.
Over the last few months, not only Bangladesh has seen radicals and extremists become more vocal, but it has also seen an effort to wipe out the legacy of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, who liberated the country from Pakistan, leading to the birth of Bangladesh.
His daughter, Sheikh Hasina, who was prime minister till August last year has hit out at the developments in Bangladesh.
Addressing her supporters on Sunday, she accused Yunus of erasing Bangladesh's history, especially those linked to the Awami League's contribution to the country's freedom struggle.
"All signs of Bangladesh's freedom movement are being removed. Mukti Joddhas (freedom fighters) are being insulted. We built Mukti Joddha complexes in all districts to keep their memories alive, but those are being burnt down. Will Yunus be able to justify this?" she said. "If you play with fire, it will burn you too."
Pakistan, many Bangladesh watchers believe, has a role in encouraging anti-India voices in the country.
The caretaker government in Bangladesh led by Yunus has freed elements like Jashimuddin Rahmani, the chief of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), an al-Qaida affiliated terrorist outfit.
The last time the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and Bangladesh met was in 2010 in Islamabad. Pakistan however since then lost ground in Bangladesh and India improved ties with Bangladesh especially under the Sheikh Hasina regime, where both sides improved coordination and cooperation on several issues of mutual interest.