Pakistan says all visa restrictions for Bangladeshis removed

[Homo Sapiens]

Immigration officials invariably start by speaking in Bengali, and if you respond in English their mood changes to a hostile mode. They will frequently direct you to another desk where someone more fluent in English is available.

- Traveling..
Unless accompanied by someone it is virtually impossible to travel alone in Dhaka. Very few streets, or buildings have signs in English; taxi drivers converse only in Bengali and it is difficult to identify cars by their registration numbers because the number ( license) plates are in an alpha-numeric Bengali script.

This is because 99 percent of our population speak the same language and other 1 percent also can understand and speak it. Bangladesh also do not get much foreign tourists so very little incentive to use English in public places. Our motor vehicle registration plate still in Bangla language which I find a little extreme(This means, foreigners will not be able to report any crime involving a motor vehicle to police).

But these things, widespread use of local language is not unique to Bangladesh. If you go to China, Japan, South Korea or France/Germany you will also find almost everything in their native language and a very little use of English in public places.

 

[Trango Towers]

Agree.
Bangladesh is a very interesting place to visit.
Just a word of caution:

• When attending the Friday prayers one must be attentive to the progress of the taqreer and khutba. The taqreer is in the Bengali language so Pakistanis won't understand when it is concluding. The rest of the prayers are normal.
• Would avoid visiting Bangladesh on periods which include the following dates: 21st February, 25th March, 16th December.

The best eating places in Dhaka are the Chinese restaurants that abound. There used to be a Panda Garden and White Castle restaurant franchise. The Dhaka club on the outskirts of Ramna used to have a decent bar,
My favorite sweet dish "Mishti Doi" ( Sweet Yogurt) from Maranchand or Alauddins
It beats Kolkata's "Mithai" hollow.

Friday prayers were no issue at all.

 

[Baibars_1260]

This is because 99 percent of our population speak the same language and other 1 percent also can understand and speak it. Bangladesh also do not get much foreign tourists so very little incentive to use English in public places. Our motor vehicle registration plate still in Bangla language which I find a little extreme(This means, foreigners will not be able to report any crime involving a motor vehicle to police).

Agree.
I was only making an observation and I apologize for any offense.
Just to let you know I do speak a little Bengali ( West Bengali, Kolkata type) though this barely helped me in Bangladesh because the dialect is so different. Others could understand me, but I couldn't understand them. Even though my knowledge of Bengali is grossly inadequate I do love the language and my West Bengali friends introduced me to Bengali songs,music, theater and movies which I have shared with our guests from Bangladesh on this forum.

But these things, widespread use of local language is not unique to Bangladesh. If you go to China, Japan, South Korea or France/Germany you will also find almost everything in their native language and a very little use of English in public places.

What you say is true and kudos to Bangladeshis for their pride in their language.
I may however add that Dhaka is perhaps the only metropolitan city in the subcontinent that has very limited use of English.
Travel, to Kathmandu, Colombo, Delhi, Islamabad, English is widely spoken. What is more Kolkata ( the other Bengali city ) has a population with an amazing fluency in English which is often spoken by the younger crowd with a clear accent. For that matter Kolkata is multilingual with a large " Hindustani " ( Urdu/ Hindi mix) speaking population.
Check out Aparna's accent:

 

[bluesky]

Disagree...
A very short sighted move.
How does that help?
In two weeks BD troops will be marching in step with those very forces that are shelling our borders and killing our civilians.
Many of those marching would have returned from the front and will go back after the parade.

We both needs reciprocal actions. So, it is imperative that Pakistan restores its relationship with giving a formal apology for starting the 1971 war that was imposed on the people in the east. In any case, BD population will not support any Indian adventure in its western border. People will resist it.

However, a good relationship between east and west will cause BD troops to mobilize in its own border to dissuade IA troops from mobilizing in full force in its western border.

In our time, everyone here wanted to visit west in Swat, Mari and other beautiful places. Now, again, many of us will visit these places. People from the west can visit many of our beautiful places like Kaptai, Rangamati and Cox's Bazaar.

Long Live Bangladesh-Pakistan relationship!!!

 

[Baibars_1260]

We both needs reciprocal actions. So, it is imperative that Pakistan restores its relationship with giving a formal apology for starting the 1971 war that was imposed on the people in the east.

Reciprocal actions ?
It doesn't appear that way. What "reciprocal action" has Bangladesh to offer to Pakistan?
The apologies have been made in 1974. If this demand for repeated apologies is to be used as a stick to humiliate Pakistan on behalf of India, then Pakistan should revoke it's previous apology and forget Bangladesh.

In any case, BD population will not support any Indian adventure in its western border. People will resist it.

Facts don't bear out what you are stating. Bangladesh has supported Indian aggression against Pakistan ever since it signed a defense pact with India in 1972. I am afraid Bangladesh is India's poodle:

See this link :

The Bangladesh factor in a future Pakistan India conflict.

The Bangladesh factor in a future Pakistan India conflict. Can Bangladeshi "neutrality" be taken for granted? Is it far fetched to assume Bangladesh is not neutral, and does pose a very minuscule but still possible threat to Pakistan? Let's look at the facts: 1.0 Overall picture: Bangladesh...

defence.pk

However, a good relationship between east and west will cause BD troops to mobilize in its own border to dissuade IA troops from mobilizing in full force in its western border.

Delusional. India is powerful enough to crush Bangladesh while simultaneously fighting a war with Pakistan, That "two front" war India can easily fight and win.one front,
We don't need to guess which that front is. BD won't need to "mobilize" any troops because there will not be any troops left to mobilize. The MRLS and Brahmos missiles will have done their job.

In our time, everyone here wanted to visit west in Swat, Mari and other beautiful places. Now, again, many of us will visit these places. People from the west can visit many of our beautiful places like Kaptai, Rangamati and Cox's Bazaar.

What's " our time " ? Very few of the members here were even born then. Why would anyone want to
visit Kaptai , Rangamati and Cox's Bazaar when we have Hawks Bay and Golden Sands right here in Pakistan.

Long Live Bangladesh-Pakistan relationship!!!

On 26 th January this year your slogan will be different,

 

[Baibars_1260]

Don't know if this restriction is still in force ( link below).
Any updates ?
Bangladesh halts visas for Pakistani nationals

Cites delay of its diplomat’s application

May 21, 2019, The Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad has stopped issuing visas to Pakistani nationals for one week over a fresh diplomatic row, a Bangladeshi official said on Tuesday, amid strained bilateral ties since 2013 when Dhaka decided to hang several of the 1971 war criminals.
Last year, Dhaka denied visa to the Pakistan High Commissioner.
The Foreign Office in Dhaka, however, is yet to make any formal confirmation and no official notification has been issued on the halting of visas to the Pakistani nationals.

Bangladesh halts visas for Pakistani nationals

Cites delay of its diplomat’s application

www.thehindu.com

 

[Baibars_1260]

There was nearly a greater united Bangladesh.

Partition, 1947: How ‘United Bengal’ Almost Became a New Country

Partition of Bengal, 1947 Video: Bengal, once the biggest province of the British Raj, was divided on 15 August 1947 as part of Partition of India. Predominantly Hindu West Bengal remained with India and a mainly Muslim East Bengal joined Pakistan

www.thequint.com

 

[Baibars_1260]

@El Sidd , @Trango Towers , @bluesky
One good thing about Pakistan's waiver of visas for Bangladeshi nationals is that survivor Stranded Pakistanis and their children will be able to return to Pakistan. For them to get a visa to Pakistan was impossible.

 

[El Sidd]

@El Sidd , @Trango Towers , @bluesky
One good thing about Pakistan's waiver of visas for Bangladeshi nationals is that survivor Stranded Pakistanis and their children will be able to return to Pakistan. For them to get a visa to Pakistan was impossible.

If they need asylum, we can offer them

 

[Baibars_1260]

If they need asylum, we can offer them

They are citizens of Pakistan and unable to return because of lack of documentation. Once Pakistan made it's domicile and ancestry origin laws stricter in the mid-seventies it became impossible for Stranded Pakistanis to get Pakistani passports even if the Pakistani embassy in Bangladesh had been established or functional. Pakistan couldn't issue passports to it's citizens because they would instantly be arrested and prosecuted by the Bangladesh authorities for " illegal entry and stay". Any Pakistani passport issued by the Pakistani embassy would obviously have no visa and thus anyone getting one had a straight path to a brutal interrogation and an indefinite incarceration.
Which is why Stranded Pakistanis appealed to the Red Cross and UN High Commission for Refugees for repatriation. No repatriation was possible without the cooperation of the Bangladesh authorities who preferred to hold Stranded Pakistanis as hostages.
I have stumbled across the rare surviving Stranded Pakistanis in Dhaka. They are mostly confined to the refugee camps but now have Bangladeshi limited travel passports.

 

[El Sidd]

They are citizens of Pakistan and unable to return because of lack of documentation. Once Pakistan made it's domicile and ancestry origin laws stricter in the mid-seventies it became impossible for Stranded Pakistanis to get Pakistani passports even if the Pakistani embassy in Bangladesh had been established or functional. Pakistan couldn't issue passports to it's citizens because they would instantly be arrested and prosecuted by the Bangladesh authorities for " illegal entry and stay". Any Pakistani passport issued by the Pakistani embassy would obviously have no visa and thus anyone getting one had a straight path to a brutal interrogation and an indefinite incarceration.
Which is why Stranded Pakistanis appealed to the Red Cross and UN High Commission for Refugees for repatriation. No repatriation was possible without the cooperation of the Bangladesh authorities who preferred to hold Stranded Pakistanis as hostages.
I have stumbled across the rare surviving Stranded Pakistanis in Dhaka. They are mostly confined to the refugee camps but now have Bangladeshi limited travel passports.

We will do all our best to redeem ourselves in their eyes.

 

[Thorough Pro]

LOL

They are citizens of Pakistan and unable to return because of lack of documentation. Once Pakistan made it's domicile and ancestry origin laws stricter in the mid-seventies it became impossible for Stranded Pakistanis to get Pakistani passports even if the Pakistani embassy in Bangladesh had been established or functional. Pakistan couldn't issue passports to it's citizens because they would instantly be arrested and prosecuted by the Bangladesh authorities for " illegal entry and stay". Any Pakistani passport issued by the Pakistani embassy would obviously have no visa and thus anyone getting one had a straight path to a brutal interrogation and an indefinite incarceration.
Which is why Stranded Pakistanis appealed to the Red Cross and UN High Commission for Refugees for repatriation. No repatriation was possible without the cooperation of the Bangladesh authorities who preferred to hold Stranded Pakistanis as hostages.
I have stumbled across the rare surviving Stranded Pakistanis in Dhaka. They are mostly confined to the refugee camps but now have Bangladeshi limited travel passports.

 

[Baibars_1260]

LOL

"LOL" are three letters often used by those with either a limited education or limited vocabulary ( usually both )

A visit to the Geneva camp ( Mohammedpur Dhaka) will show the flag of Pakistan still flying ( when I was there in 2011) , 40 years after it was taken down from every building in the territory ( including the Dhaka Cantonment). The big sign in Urdu said " Hamara Muqaam hai Pakistan "
The following couplet was on a sign nearby:
اول اول سنگ میل راہ ازادی تھے ہم
آخر آخر اک نشان بےنشاں بنتےگے

The school children would start the day in front of the flag and sing.
Pak Sar Zameen Shad bad

These citizens of Pakistan need far more sympathy than Indian Muslims who have nothing to do with Pakistan.

 

[Baibars_1260]

We will do all our best to redeem ourselves in their eyes.

This is the moment. Give the Stranded Pakistanis the right to return, Technically, they enjoy the right to enter and visit Pakistan like their Bengali speaking counterparts.
Their limited travel Bangladeshi passports are valid for travel only to Pakistan and nowhere else.
All that will be needed is that they rejoin their surviving relatives and be allowed to stay. There are 90-100k only and they will fade away. They fought the bitter fight for Pakistan and lost. They could have gone back to their origins in Eastern India but they didn't.
Like Sqdn. Leader Hasan Siddique, Sqdn.Leader M.M. Alam and Defence Analyst Zaid Hamid their origins are similar but their loyalties lie with Pakistan.

The nowhere people!

Bangladesh — NOWHERE PEOPLE

The Forgotten - “I speak Urdu, but I also speak Bengali. I was born as part of Bihari culture, but... I was born in Bangladesh and I want to be a part of Bangladeshi culture too.”

www.nowherepeople.org

 

[bluesky]

Reciprocal actions ?
It doesn't appear that way. What "reciprocal action" has Bangladesh to offer to Pakistan?
The apologies have been made in 1974. If this demand for repeated apologies is to be used as a stick to humiliate Pakistan on behalf of India, then Pakistan should revoke it's previous apology and forget Bangladesh.

It is OK about the 1974 written understanding. So, ask IK to refer to 1974 to Hasina. He can openly reiterate 1974 to say Pakistan has already did apologize. Foreign diplomacy is a kind of tug of war.

By the way, your new Ambassador in Dhaka is very successful to melt the ice. Dhaka seems to be quite friendly towards him. So, to find out the reason, I checked if he was born and brought up in Dhaka. I found he was born and brought up, and educated in (west) Pakistan.