In a high-stakes diplomatic blitz that is sending ripples across South Asia, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar is not just knocking on doors – he is walking right into the homes of Bangladesh’s most influential political figures.
After a whirlwind Saturday of high-level meetings with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), Dar is not slowing down.
On Sunday, he will make rare residential visits to meet BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan residence, Firoza, and Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman – a move political analysts are calling “unprecedented” and “deeply symbolic.”
This landmark two-day visit marks the first time in nearly 13 years that a Pakistani foreign minister has set foot in Dhaka. And Dar is not just checking boxes, he is rewriting the script of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations in real time.
A new chapter after the fall of Awami League
With the Awami League’s recent political collapse, Pakistan is making a swift and strategic move to position itself at the heart of Bangladesh’s evolving power landscape. By engaging across the political spectrum, from centre-right BNP to Islamist Jamaat and reformist NCP, Dar is sending a clear message: Pakistan is back, and it is here to stay.
Saturday’s marathon diplomacy began at the Pakistan High Commission in Gulshan, where Dar hosted a BNP delegation led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The meeting, described as “cordial and constructive,” saw Dar acknowledge Bangladesh’s historic role in founding SAARC and call for a revival of bilateral ties “based on mutual respect and shared destiny.”
Fakhrul, flanked by senior leaders including Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, welcomed the outreach but stressed the need for concrete action over symbolism.
Earlier, Dar met NCP chief Akhtar Hossain, praising the party’s reform agenda and pushing for youth and cultural exchanges. “The future belongs to the young,” Dar said. “Let’s connect our students, artists, and entrepreneurs.”
Then came the moment that raised eyebrows: a meeting with Jamaat-e-Islami’s Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, where Dar lauded the party’s “courage and steadfastness” amid adversity – words seen as a quiet nod of solidarity to a party long sidelined in mainstream politics.
Sunday’s home visits: Power, politics, and personal touch
But the real drama unfolds on Sunday.
By visiting Khaleda Zia Dar is making a bold humanitarian and political gesture. It signals empathy for a once-dominant leader and recognition of the BNP’s enduring influence.
Similarly, calling on Dr Shafiqur Rahman at his residence goes beyond protocol. It is a signal that Pakistan values ideological allies and sees space for conservative, faith-based voices in regional diplomacy.
“Pakistan is not just engaging with parties. It’s engaging with legacies,” said one Dhaka-based political observer. “This is soft power with a sharp edge.”
Bigger picture: Trade, MoUs, and Yunus
The visit isn’t just about politics. Dar is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate now steering Bangladesh’s interim government, and hold formal talks with Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain. Expect multiple MoUs on trade, investment, and regional connectivity to be signed.
Recent moves, like Bangladesh importing 50,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan and the new visa-free travel for diplomatic passport holders, show momentum is building. A newly formed joint working group on trade could soon unlock billions in bilateral commerce.
A strategic reset in South Asia
From Dhaka’s drawing rooms to backroom negotiations, Ishaq Dar’s visit is more than diplomacy, it is a strategic recalibration. As India’s influence faces scrutiny in the region, Pakistan is seizing the moment to rebuild bridges, one handshake, one home visit at a time.
Will this be the dawn of a new era in Pak-Bangla relations? One thing is clear: after years of frost, the thaw has begun, and it’s happening in living rooms, not just conference halls.