Bangladesh interim government foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Monday said Dhaka would raise 1971 issues on the table for discussions during the upcoming visit by deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar.
Ishaq Dar is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on August 23 to discuss ways to strengthen coordination with Bangladesh.
He will have a bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Md Touhid Hossain, on August 24, in addition to his other engagements.
鈥楨ach issue will be on the table,鈥� adviser Hossain told reporters when asked whether Bangladesh will raise the issues of seeking a public apology by Pakistan and due compensation.
Talking to the journalists at the Foreign Service Academy, Hossain said the interim government is approaching in a 鈥榩ragmatic way鈥� in terms of its relations with Pakistan, stressing that everything will be on the table for discussion.
During foreign secretary level talks in Dhaka on April 17, Bangladesh raised historical unsettled issues with Pakistan, including a formal public apology for the atrocities committed against Bangladesh during the 1971 War of Independence by the Pakistan forces and pending financial claims from Pakistan.
These issues need to be resolved to have a solid foundation for our relations, said then foreign secretary Md Jashim Uddin.
Responding to a question, adviser Hossain said that Bangladesh does not decide how India develops its relations with Pakistan, and similarly, India does not decide how Bangladesh develops its relations with Pakistan.
Hossain said they do not want to see one aspect of relations get stuck for another aspect of the relations. Bangladesh sees willingness from the Pakistan side to remain engaged on those issues as the talks began between Dhaka and Islamabad after 15 years.
Ishaq Dar鈥檚 previously scheduled visit to Bangladesh in April was postponed.
The visit was postponed amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and India following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
鈥極wing to unforeseen circumstances, the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Pakistan is unable to undertake the visit to Bangladesh on 27-28 April 2025,鈥� said the foreign affairs ministry of Pakistan at that time.
Later, the two sides finalised a new date through mutual consultations.
