Pakistan Woos Bangladesh, But Will Dhaka Accept The Olive Branch?

[Black_cats]

• 02 March 2021
• 
  
• International

Pakistan Woos Bangladesh, But Will Dhaka Accept The Olive Branch?

Despite obvious economic and strategic benefits for both nations in case of a thaw, Dhaka is adamant that Islamabad formally apologise for the genocide that preceded the 1971 war of Independence.

• AYANANGSHA MAITRA

Imran Khan (L), Shekh Hasina (R)


Fifty years have gone by, yet the deep-seated animosity between Bangladesh and Pakistan has not eased the memories of the massacres — some call it genocide — by the Pakistan Army still haunt Bangladesh, albeit most of them who witnessed the carnage during the Liberation War of 1971 are no longer alive.

Bangladesh is yet to come out of her traumatic past, and the gruesome killing of almost 3 million Bangladeshis and rape of more than 400,000 Bengali women by Pakistani troops is a scar that is yet to heal. Meanwhile, the linguistic state scales newer heights gaining huge reputation and respect worldwide.

Touching the $300 billion mark in GDP, the youngest state of South Asia has leapfrogged Pakistan in economic and many other social development parameters and indexes.

Since the middle of 2020, a few moves by Islamabad led to speculation and debate over the defrosting of Bangladesh-Pakistan relations. In a stunning move, Pakistan has lifted all the restrictions on visas for Bangladeshi applicants in January. Another significant development is the telephonic dialogue between Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan and Sheikh Hasina Wajed of Bangladesh.

Hasina’s political rival, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by Khaleda Zia, maintains cordial relations with Pakistan. During their terms, they even sheltered anti-Indian insurgent groups in Bangladesh.The temperature of Dhaka-Islamabad bonhomie started decreasing since the Hasina-led Awami League assumed office in 2009. In December 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh convicted nine persons of genocide and war crimes and hanged Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul QuaderMolla, which irked Islamabad immensely. All the criminals weresympathizers of Pakistan.

Soon after assuming office in 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan sought to smooth relations with Bangladesh. Two years later, his attempts and efforts brought some amount of satisfaction. After rounds of email exchanges between the foreign ministries of Bangladesh and Pakistan, Imran Khan finally rang up and conversed with his Bangladeshi counterpart over the telephone in July 2020. Signalling Pakistan’s eagerness to strengthen relations with Bangladesh, Khan invited Hasina to visit Pakistan and discussed Covid management as well as revitalizing SAARC.

Pakistan initiated the process of creating harmony at a time when anger mounted in Bangladesh against India’s decision to rescind Article 370 in Kashmir, the Ayodhya verdict and the citizenship revision plan NRC-CAA announcement.

Speculation and suspicion have harmed the diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Over a long period, there was no Pakistani High Commissioner in Bangladesh.

Even in the past, Pakistani diplomats were allegedly involved in unlawful activities in Bangladesh. Islamabad was forced to withdraw her envoys and expelled Bangladeshi diplomats from Pakistan as well. The Bangladeshi diplomats serving the missions in Pakistan are shadowed by intelligence personnel.

However, last year, Pakistan’s newly appointed High Commissioner Imran Ahmed Siddiqui caught up with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen prior to Imran Khan’s telephonic conversation with Hasina.

The Pakistani envoy also engaged with other Bangladeshi ministers and officials to push the agenda of normalizing ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Foreign minister Momen has clarified that without a proper apology, Bangladesh won’t consider deepening her relations with Pakistan. Momen’s deputy Shahriar Alam, minister of state for foreign affairs, too made it clear that apart the apology from the top most official, Pakistan should complete the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh. He also demanded a settlement of the disputes over the division of assets.


In January, the Pakistani envoy sat with Tipu Munshi, commerce minister of Bangladesh, who urged Pakistan to withdraw the anti-dumping duty on export of hydrogen peroxide.

The present generation entrepreneurs on both sides lack business connections which is an irritant in trade relations. It is expected that the Joint Economic Commission, set up between the two states will address the issues and challenges businesses facing in both states.

Bangladesh is the second largest exporter and one of the biggest manufacturers of garments. Bangladeshi textile and some other goods have demands in Pakistan. Ceramic items manufactured in Bangladesh are widely used at Pakistani government departments.

Pakistanis use ready-made garments, leather items and pharmaceutical goods manufactured in Bangladesh. Pakistan also imports jute and jute items in huge quantities from Bangladesh. Bangladesh mostly imports cotton and machinery from Pakistan. In the 2019-20 financial year, the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Pakistan stood at $543.90 million. Bangladesh counted exports worth $50.54 million in Pakistan. The import from Pakistan in the same year was estimated to be worth $493.36 million.

At the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Ambassador Siddiqui approached Bangladeshi businessmen to collaborate with the Pakistanis on research and technology as well as expertise transfer. On the other hand, Bangladesh appealed to Pakistan to permit access to more Bangladeshi goods under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement and remove all the trade barriers.

Recently, Pakistan has expressed interests to resume direct flights and establish maritime connectivity to boost trades with Bangladesh. An Islamabad based think-tank has been hosting a serial webinar on the new equations between Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Bangladesh and Pakistan are home to 390 million, 5 percent of the total human population. If Dhaka and Islamabad are on good terms, Bangladesh can explore the tremendous business opportunity in the Central Asian states via Pakistan. Pakistan will be able to mine the burgeoning market of 180 million in Bangladesh, and bilateral trade between the two will reach a significant level.

China’s influence and interests are not invisible in Pakistan’s pursuit of wooing Bangladesh. After Pakistan, it’s Bangladesh who got commitments from China to attract the second largest investment in South Asia. Beijing may slowly sway Dhaka to get along with the China-Pakistan team for her own strategic interests, which could in turn rattle New Delhi. In addition, Malaysia and Turkey will most likely cajole Bangladesh to establish deeper ties with Pakistan. Apart from the Organization of Islamic Co-Operation (OIC), Pakistan, Malaysia and Turkey are in the D-8 club in which Bangladesh also holds a membership.

The incumbent Awami League under Sheikh Hasina won’t certainly become chum up with Islamabad, knowing it will disturb New Delhi. But if Pakistan takes credible action on Hamoodur Rahman Commission reports and offers an apology to Bangladesh for the genocide, Dhaka could embrace Islamabad leaving the bitter past behind. From involvement in terrorism in India to holocaust in East Pakistan, Pakistan can’t verbally deny all the allegations every time and expect normal relations with the neighbours. If Islamabad’s move is genuine, it must resolve all the issues and fulfil demands of Bangladesh completely. But will the GHQ, the stubborn military establishment in Pakistan, agree to acquiesce in any situation?

(Ayanangsha Maitra is a freelance journalist and Junior Fellow at the Centre for Governance Studies, Bangladesh. He tweets at @Ayanangsha. Views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of Outlook Magazine)

Pakistan Woos Bangladesh, But Will Dhaka Accept The Olive Branch?

Despite obvious economic and strategic benefits for both nations in case of a thaw, Dhaka is adamant that Islamabad formally apologise for the genocide that preceded the 1971 war of Independence.

www.google.com

 

[Bilal9]

Another Hindu India shill sitting in Bangladesh batting for India. They do it boldly knowing that if they get kicked out of Bangladesh, there's always India who will give them shelter.

These are hypocrites I hate. Like feeding a poisonous viper milk and bananas every day - hoping it won't bite you. In the end, they always do. These a$$holes make a bad name for all Hindu Patriots in Bangladesh.

 

[xyxmt]

Another Hindu India shill sitting in Bangladesh batting for India. They do it boldly knowing that if they get kicked out of Bangladesh, there's always India who will give them shelter.

These are hypocrites I hate. Like feeding a poisonous viper milk and bananas every day - hoping it won't bite you. In the end, they always do. These a$$holes make a bad name for all Hindu Patriots in Bangladesh.

Historically all Muslims states were weakened/destroyed by Jews/Christians/Hindus from the inside. Both Pakistan and BD have Hinduized Muslims (those who use muslim names but were never Muslim) in the power corridor.

 

[VikingRaider]

Historically all Muslims states were weakened/destroyed by Jews/Christians/Hindus from the inside. Both Pakistan and BD have Hinduized Muslims (those who use muslim names but were never Muslim) in the power corridor.

Actually such hindutva Muslims are the problem of Muslim nations like Bangladesh and maybe for Pakistan too as you said.

Even Hindu born hindutva aren't too harmful like these uncle tom aka Muslim born hindutva.

 

[Bilal9]

Historically all Muslims states were weakened/destroyed by Jews/Christians/Hindus from the inside. Both Pakistan and BD have Hinduized Muslims (those who use muslim names but were never Muslim) in the power corridor.

Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head.

People with Muslim names who hardly pray (even privately), drink alcohol under the guise of being 'sophisticated' and blindly ape Western degenerate behavior (mostly vices that the Westerners even avoid).

Worse, some so called Muslims in Bangladesh openly follow Hindu culture.

And I myself am no devout religious person either so I shouldn't judge maybe. But hypocrisy cannot be supported.

But yes - these are people in both countries we should seek out and 'out' every once in a while, just to show who they really are.

In Bangladesh - there are people with Muslim names who have introduced Hindu-ized traditions that even Hindus think are antiquated.

Case in point - the Uttariya which is a colorful piece of cloth worn around the neck which belongs to Hindu vedic tradition.

Uttariya - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You will see Hindu ministers in India wear this garb. Their vedic tradition, I am fine with it.

Now let's talk about Hasanul Huq Inu, a Bangladesh minister. See the similarity?

If this guy is not a wanna be Hindu - then what are we talking about? This tradition did not exist in Bangladesh until a decade ago.

These chashamkhor "Muslims-in-name-only" are so desperate to appear Hindu it is a damn shame.

Dressing like this (like Hindus) was never in our tradition that I can recall. It is a Hasina-era import.

Look at this tradition below of "Mangal Shovajatra" a Hindu tradition the AL idiots have been promoting ever since they came to power - this was never a feature of our Bengali new year celebrations in the past. I hope Muslims in Bangladesh get bored with this force-fed Hindu crap and get going with 21st century stuff the Sanghis have even moved on with.

Hindu cultural garbage Sanghis are trying to impose on us in "ever-so-desperate" fashion.

In case you are wondering - the owl is the symbolic "Vahana" (vehicle) of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

Hindu cultural appropriation - in reverse.

 

[War Thunder]

Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head.

People with Muslim names who hardly pray (even privately), drink alcohol under the guise of being 'sophisticated' and blindly ape Western degenerate behavior (mostly vices that the Westerners even avoid).

Worse, some so called Muslims in Bangladesh openly follow Hindu culture.

And I myself am no devout religious person either so I shouldn't judge maybe. But hypocrisy cannot be supported.

But yes - these are people in both countries we should seek out and 'out' every once in a while, just to show who they really are.

In Bangladesh - there are people with Muslim names who have introduced Hindu-ized traditions that even Hindus think are antiquated.

Case in point - the Uttariya which is a colorful piece of cloth worn around the neck which belongs to Hindu vedic tradition.

Uttariya - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You will see Hindu ministers in India wear this garb. Their vedic tradition, I am fine with it.

Now let's talk about Hasanul Huq Inu, a Bangladesh minister. See the similarity?

If this guy is not a wanna be Hindu - then what are we talking about? This tradition did not exist in Bangladesh until a decade ago.

These chashamkhor "Muslims-in-name-only" are so desperate to appear Hindu it is a damn shame.

Dressing like this (like Hindus) was never in our tradition that I can recall. It is a Hasina-era import.

Look at this tradition below of "Mangal Shovajatra" a Hindu tradition the AL idiots have been promoting ever since they came to power - this was never a feature of our Bengali new year celebrations in the past. I hope Muslims in Bangladesh get bored with this force-fed Hindu crap and get going with 21st century stuff the Sanghis have even moved on with.

Hindu cultural garbage Sanghis are trying to impose on us in "ever-so-desperate" fashion.

In case you are wondering - the owl is the symbolic "Vahana" (vehicle) of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

Hindu cultural appropriation - in reverse.

You'll find plenty of those proudly referring themselves to liberated retards in Pakistan too. Problem is not who they are or how they live. Problem is their hypocrisy in calling themsleves Muslim and having no clue on how to be one and responsible for being the minions of Shaitan and driving other practicing ones away from their roots.

 

[PakistaniAtBahrain]

Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head.

People with Muslim names who hardly pray (even privately), drink alcohol under the guise of being 'sophisticated' and blindly ape Western degenerate behavior (mostly vices that the Westerners even avoid).

Worse, some so called Muslims in Bangladesh openly follow Hindu culture.

And I myself am no devout religious person either so I shouldn't judge maybe. But hypocrisy cannot be supported.

But yes - these are people in both countries we should seek out and 'out' every once in a while, just to show who they really are.

In Bangladesh - there are people with Muslim names who have introduced Hindu-ized traditions that even Hindus think are antiquated.

Case in point - the Uttariya which is a colorful piece of cloth worn around the neck which belongs to Hindu vedic tradition.

Uttariya - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You will see Hindu ministers in India wear this garb. Their vedic tradition, I am fine with it.

Now let's talk about Hasanul Huq Inu, a Bangladesh minister. See the similarity?

If this guy is not a wanna be Hindu - then what are we talking about? This tradition did not exist in Bangladesh until a decade ago.

These chashamkhor "Muslims-in-name-only" are so desperate to appear Hindu it is a damn shame.

Dressing like this (like Hindus) was never in our tradition that I can recall. It is a Hasina-era import.

Look at this tradition below of "Mangal Shovajatra" a Hindu tradition the AL idiots have been promoting ever since they came to power - this was never a feature of our Bengali new year celebrations in the past. I hope Muslims in Bangladesh get bored with this force-fed Hindu crap and get going with 21st century stuff the Sanghis have even moved on with.

Hindu cultural garbage Sanghis are trying to impose on us in "ever-so-desperate" fashion.

In case you are wondering - the owl is the symbolic "Vahana" (vehicle) of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

Hindu cultural appropriation - in reverse.

i dont know how the religious Bangladeshis tolerate seeing all this. reminds me of Shahid Afridi elbowing his TV into the wall when he saw his daughter doing aarti while watching some crap indian tv drama. Afridi got so much shit from the liberals for saying this, but he is always unapologetic about being a muslim.

 

[Jobless Jack]

Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head.

People with Muslim names who hardly pray (even privately), drink alcohol under the guise of being 'sophisticated' and blindly ape Western degenerate behavior (mostly vices that the Westerners even avoid).

Worse, some so called Muslims in Bangladesh openly follow Hindu culture.

And I myself am no devout religious person either so I shouldn't judge maybe. But hypocrisy cannot be supported.

But yes - these are people in both countries we should seek out and 'out' every once in a while, just to show who they really are.

In Bangladesh - there are people with Muslim names who have introduced Hindu-ized traditions that even Hindus think are antiquated.

Case in point - the Uttariya which is a colorful piece of cloth worn around the neck which belongs to Hindu vedic tradition.

Uttariya - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You will see Hindu ministers in India wear this garb. Their vedic tradition, I am fine with it.

Now let's talk about Hasanul Huq Inu, a Bangladesh minister. See the similarity?

If this guy is not a wanna be Hindu - then what are we talking about? This tradition did not exist in Bangladesh until a decade ago.

These chashamkhor "Muslims-in-name-only" are so desperate to appear Hindu it is a damn shame.

Dressing like this (like Hindus) was never in our tradition that I can recall. It is a Hasina-era import.

Look at this tradition below of "Mangal Shovajatra" a Hindu tradition the AL idiots have been promoting ever since they came to power - this was never a feature of our Bengali new year celebrations in the past. I hope Muslims in Bangladesh get bored with this force-fed Hindu crap and get going with 21st century stuff the Sanghis have even moved on with.

Hindu cultural garbage Sanghis are trying to impose on us in "ever-so-desperate" fashion.

In case you are wondering - the owl is the symbolic "Vahana" (vehicle) of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

Hindu cultural appropriation - in reverse.

Its ok. Hypocrites never win.

As for this writer he can grow cry a river.
Pak BD and China are natural allies. Its only a matter of time before this alliance shows its self to the world.

 

[Saiful Islam]

Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head.

People with Muslim names who hardly pray (even privately), drink alcohol under the guise of being 'sophisticated' and blindly ape Western degenerate behavior (mostly vices that the Westerners even avoid).

Worse, some so called Muslims in Bangladesh openly follow Hindu culture.

And I myself am no devout religious person either so I shouldn't judge maybe. But hypocrisy cannot be supported.

But yes - these are people in both countries we should seek out and 'out' every once in a while, just to show who they really are.

In Bangladesh - there are people with Muslim names who have introduced Hindu-ized traditions that even Hindus think are antiquated.

Case in point - the Uttariya which is a colorful piece of cloth worn around the neck which belongs to Hindu vedic tradition.

Uttariya - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You will see Hindu ministers in India wear this garb. Their vedic tradition, I am fine with it.

Now let's talk about Hasanul Huq Inu, a Bangladesh minister. See the similarity?

If this guy is not a wanna be Hindu - then what are we talking about? This tradition did not exist in Bangladesh until a decade ago.

These chashamkhor "Muslims-in-name-only" are so desperate to appear Hindu it is a damn shame.

Dressing like this (like Hindus) was never in our tradition that I can recall. It is a Hasina-era import.

Look at this tradition below of "Mangal Shovajatra" a Hindu tradition the AL idiots have been promoting ever since they came to power - this was never a feature of our Bengali new year celebrations in the past. I hope Muslims in Bangladesh get bored with this force-fed Hindu crap and get going with 21st century stuff the Sanghis have even moved on with.

Hindu cultural garbage Sanghis are trying to impose on us in "ever-so-desperate" fashion.

In case you are wondering - the owl is the symbolic "Vahana" (vehicle) of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

Hindu cultural appropriation - in reverse.

We are fed up. Even these student visa dudes who come from BD boldly point out the Hinduization going on in BD and SHW's bootlicking behavior.

 

[PakistaniAtBahrain]

We are fed up. Even these student visa dudes who come from BD boldly point out the Hinduization going on in BD and SHW's bootlicking behavior.

student visa dudes from where? indian muslims?

 

[Saiful Islam]

student visa dudes from where? indian muslims?

No the Bangladeshis that have come here in the country I reside in share the same sentiments, BD is forcefully being Hinduized. As Bilal Bhai showed an example, they incorporate Hindu festivals in to the calendar and using other mass media forcing stuff down our throats.

 

[PakistaniAtBahrain]

Another Hindu India shill sitting in Bangladesh batting for India.

i like this phrase, batting for someone else. its mine now.

 

[PakistaniAtBahrain]

Now let's talk about Hasanul Huq Inu, a Bangladesh minister. See the similarity?

i dont think he is even pretending to be a muslim. he was a marxist in the 70s.

 

[Baby Leone]

(Ayanangsha Maitra is a freelance journalist and Junior Fellow

thread should closed now

 

[Michael Corleone]

Historically all Muslims states were weakened/destroyed by Jews/Christians/Hindus from the inside. Both Pakistan and BD have Hinduized Muslims (those who use muslim names but were never Muslim) in the power corridor.

Christians were always beta, they got dominated by us for the most part. Georgian Zionist who claim to be Jews and forms European Jews and the country are people who conspired to weaken Muslims, most of the times with help of Muslim traitors