BD, Pak agree to bolster bilateral ties

Bangladesh and Pakistan agree to strengthen once-severed relations between the two countries through increased trade, commerce and exchange of sports and cultural delegations.
Officials in Dhaka said the agreement was reached at a summit meet between the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh's interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday on the sidelines of the D-8 Summit being held in the Egyptian capital city, Cairo.
The two heads of government also expressed their desire to extend cooperation in new areas such as the sugar industry and dengue management during the parley at a hotel in Cairo, said a spokesperson for the CA Office.
Professor Yunus and Sharif discussed issues of mutual interest, including revival of the dormant SAARC-a key feature of the foreign policy announced by the Chief Adviser after he took over as the head of post-uprising government.
The 2006 Nobel Peace laureate also spoke about his government's plan to carry out "essential reforms" and the general election before mid-2026. He said he is leading a consensus-building commission to hold dialogues on the reforms.
Professor Yunus urged his Pakistan counterpart to settle the issues of 1971-the year when Bangladesh was liberated from Pakistani rule--to help Dhaka move forward with its relationship with Islamabad.
"The issues have kept coming again and again. Let's settle those issues for us to move forward," Yunus told Sharif. "It is important for our people."
Sharif recalled the 1974 tripartite agreement involving Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India, saying that it had settled many issues among the countries. He called for a strategic partnership between Dhaka and Islamabad.
"We are really looking forward to strengthening our relationship with our brother-in-country Bangladesh," Sharif was quoted as saying.
He hailed Professor Yunus for his initiative to revive the regional bloc, SAARC, and Bangladesh to work on the possibility of holding a summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
"This is a top priority," Professor Yunus told Sharif.
"I am a big fan of the idea of SAARC. I keep harping on the issue. I want a summit of SAARC leaders even if it is only for a photo session because that will carry a strong message," he said.
The Pakistan Prime Minister offered technical support for making Bangladesh's state-run sugar mills operational through sharing technology.
He condoled on the deaths from the dengue outbreak in Bangladesh and added that Dhaka could benefit from Pakistan's experience in combating the mosquito-borne disease.
"Our fight against dengue in Punjab about a decade ago was hailed as world-class. We can send a delegate to Bangladesh for sharing our experience with Bangladeshi officials," he said.
Professor Yunus thanked Sharif for his support and hoped Pakistan and Bangladesh would continue these efforts for interaction.
Pakistan's foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, and Professor Yunus's Special Envoy, Lutfey Siddiqi, were among others present on the occasion.
Siddiqi invited Pakistan's foreign minister, Dar, to visit Bangladesh in February on his way to Malaysia for a tour--and he accepted the offer.
Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif also invited Professor Yunus to visit their country at his convenience.

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