Bangladesh–Pakistan relations
and Pakistan are both South Asian Muslim-majority countries. Following the end of British rule in India, the two countries formed a single state for 24 years. The Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 resulted in the secession of East Pakistan as the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized Bangladesh in 1974 during the Islamic Summit in Lahore, however relations between the two countries still remained relatively tense until the 2024 July Revolution in Bangladesh which resulted in the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina and the establishment of a new administration in Dhaka that sought to normalize ties with Pakistan, moving away from decades of strained relations rooted in the events of the 1971 Liberation War.
The two countries are both founding members of SAARC, as well as members of the Developing 8 Countries, the G77, the OIC and the Commonwealth of Nations. Both are classified as Next Eleven emerging economies. Bangladesh has a High Commission in Islamabad and Deputy High Commission in Karachi. Pakistan has a High Commission in Dhaka.
In the aftermath of the July Revolution, both countries initiated a series of high-level diplomatic exchanges, reopened stalled trade negotiations, and signaled a willingness to enhance cooperation in areas such as regional security, cultural exchange, and economic development. Observers noted that this rapprochement marked the most substantial improvement in bilateral relations since the 1970s, with both sides emphasizing reconciliation, diplomacy, and a shared interest in stability across South Asia.
History
Pre-partition era
When the East India Company conquered Punjab in 1849, a substantial portion of its Indian staff that settled around Lahore was Bengali.Partition and liberation
As part of the Partition of India in 1947, Bengal was partitioned between the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The Pakistani part of Bengal was known as East Bengal until 1955 and thereafter as East Pakistan following the implementation of the One Unit program.Bilateral relations between the two wings grew strained over the lack of official recognition for the Bengali language, democracy, regional autonomy, disparity between the two wings, ethnic discrimination, and the central government's weak and inefficient relief efforts after the 1970 Bhola cyclone, which had affected millions in East Pakistan. These grievances led to several political agitations in East Bengal and ultimately a fight for full independence. In early March 1971, 300 Biharis were slaughtered in rioting by Bengali mobs in Chittagong. The massacre was used by the Pakistan Armed Forces as a justification to launch "Operation Searchlight", which targeted intellectuals, political activists, Hindus and other minorities. The number of people killed by Pakistani forces remains disputed, with estimates ranging from 300,000 to 3million. About 8–10million people became refugees in India. Many Bengali policemen and soldiers mutinied and nationalists formed a guerrilla force, the Mukti Bahini with Soviet and Indian support.
When the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 broke out between West Pakistan and India, the joint forces of India and Mukti Bahini defeated Pakistani forces in East Pakistan. Subsequently, the independent state of Bangladesh was created.
1974–2012: Establishment and growth of bilateral relations
The left-oriented Pakistan Peoples Party led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who had been the main political opponent of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, came into power in the aftermath of Bangladesh's separation from Pakistan. Initially, Pakistan was not in favor of recognizing Bangladesh and urged other states to hold back their recognition until Pakistan could enter into a dialogue with Bangladeshi leadership. Bangladesh, on its part, insisted on recognition as a pre-condition for dialogue. In 1972, Pakistan left the Commonwealth after some members of the Commonwealth extended membership to Bangladesh. Pakistan also severed ties with other countries which recognized Bangladesh.On the issue of Bangladesh's application for membership to the UN, China, on Pakistan's request, exercised its veto power for the first time to stall the move, which helped Pakistan to secure in a bargain the release of its prisoners of war and the return of troops to their pre-war positions.
In 1974, the relationship between Bangladesh and Pakistan thawed. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman withdrew the bans on some pro-Pakistan organisations, that had operated before Bangladesh's independence. Mujib visited Lahore for an OIC Islamic summit, and in return, the Parliament of Pakistan authorized Bhutto to extend recognition to Bangladesh. In June 1974, Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto visited Bangladesh and paid homage to Bangladesh's war memorial at Savar. Both nations discussed an agreement in 1975 in which Bangladesh agreed to take up half of Pakistan's pre-1971 external reserves provided Bangladesh received half of the country's pre-1971 assets and credit. The matter went unresolved.
Relations normalized quite under the governments of Ziaur Rahman and Hussain Muhammad Ershad in Bangladesh, which had grown more distant from its usual allies, like India and Russia. Five Pakistani heads of government have made official visits to Bangladesh since the 1980s and numerous trade and cultural agreements have been signed. Common concerns over terrorism have influenced strategic cooperation leading to a gift of several squadrons of F-6 fighter aircraft to the Bangladesh Air Force in the late 1980s, Although, there was no serious effort to maintain them as they were later left to be destroyed by a cyclone. Trade between the two countries stood at $340 million in 2010, which was described by the deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh, Ruhul Alam Siddique as "negligible when you take in to account the combined population" of the two countries. Areas he hoped would induce investment from Pakistan to Bangladesh included the textiles and energy sectors.
In 1985, Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq visited the Bangladeshi war memorial, and said "Your heroes are our heroes." Bangladeshi President Ershad visited Islamabad in 1986. In 1998, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Pakistan. In July 2002, Pakistani General Pervez Musharraf also visited the war memorial and said "Your brothers and sisters in Pakistan share the pain of the events of 1971."
However, relationships suffered miserably under first term of Khaleda Zia in 1991 to 1996, who oversaw the deportation of 30,000 Biharis from Bangladesh. During an India–Pakistan cricket match, several Biharis were killed for supporting Pakistan and Pakistani flags were burned. Khaleda Zia refused to take in Bengalis returning from Pakistan.
In his history of Bangladesh, Craig Baxter gives a general assessment of the relations between both countries:
2013: War crimes tribunal
In December 2013, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Islamist leader Abdul Quader Molla, dubbed the "butcher of Mirpur", was executed in Bangladesh for war crimes. Following the execution, the lower house National Assembly of Pakistan issued a statement condemning execution, claiming it to be politically motivated. Pakistan's Interior Minister expressed sadness that Molla was executed for his "loyalty towards Pakistan".As a result of Pakistan's reactions, Bangladesh summoned the Pakistani High Commissioner, conveying its displeasure at Pakistan's interference in its internal matters. Bangladesh conveyed its displeasure at the National Assembly statement, Punjab Provincial Assembly statement, as well as the remarks by Pakistan's Interior Minister. Protesters in Bangladesh also took to the streets to express their displeasure by marching towards the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka.
2015–2016: Diplomatic rifts
In two separate incidents, officials of the Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka were alleged to be financing the terrorist activities of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh organization. Diplomatic official Mazhar Khan was charged by Bangladesh's foreign ministry of running an illegal Indian currency business in Dhaka beside alleged links with militants. However, Pakistan's foreign office maintains that allegations against him are baseless and the incident is unfortunate.In December 2015, Pakistan withdrew the diplomat Farina Arshad after Bangladeshi authorities asked the diplomat to leave for reportedly having "extended financial support to a suspected militant who faces spying charges". Jama 'Atul Mujahideen Bangladesh operative Idris Sheikh, who also holds Pakistani nationality, had claimed he had received money from her and was in contact with her for some time. Pakistan has withdrawn one of its diplomats from Bangladesh after "harassment", the foreign ministry said. A formal statement from Islamabad dismissed the charges as "baseless", adding "an incessant and orchestrated media campaign was launched against her on spurious charges".
In January 2016, Islamabad asked Dhaka to recall senior diplomat Moushumi Rahman from its High Commission in Islamabad within 48 hours. Diplomatic sources in Islamabad told the media that Rahman was allegedly involved in "anti-state activities in Pakistan" and that concerned security agencies continued to monitor her.
2018 to present: normalization
Following the election of Imran Khan as Prime Minister of Pakistan, the two countries slowly began to normalize ties. Khan made a phone call to Sheikh Hasina in July 2020 following Bangladesh's foreign policy announcement of "friendship to all and malice to none", inviting her to Islamabad. Hasina later mentioned that she was interested in strengthening bilateral ties with Pakistan. Following a meeting with Shahriar Alam on 7 January 2021, the Government of Pakistan removed all visa requirements for Bangladeshi citizens.There has been efforts to improve relations after the resignation of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. In November 2024, for the first time since the independence of Bangladesh, a Pakistani cargo ship docked in Chittagong Port; while in October the government of Bangladesh ended the practice of "mandatory 100% physical inspection" for Pakistani imports.
During official visit to Dhaka on 23 July 2025, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Bangladesh’s Home Adviser Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury at the Secretariat. The two officials held comprehensive discussions across several areas of bilateral interest including counter-terrorism, anti-narcotics, police training, anti-human trafficking, cybercrime, the Rohingya crisis, visa facilitation, and enhanced trade. A near-finalised Memorandum of Understanding was announced to grant on‑arrival visa access for holders of diplomatic and official passports, aimed at easing travel and boosting cooperation. Naqvi offered Bangladesh access to Pakistan’s counterterrorism experience and proposed MoUs between their police academies for officer exchange programs and training.