Significance of the Khar-Momen meeting.

Pakistani Minister of state for Foeign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Abul Kalam Abdul Momen on Saturday discussed 'mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation' in several arenas, especially economy and trade. They met on the sidelines of the Independence Day celebrations in Sri Lanka.

According to Radio Pakistan, Khar expressed her satisfaction with the growing commercial relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh. She emphasised the importance of enhancing economic, trade, and investment ties, as well as increasing tourism and people-to-people interactions.

She also highlighted the shared perspectives of Pakistan and Bangladesh on various international issues, particularly those related to the Muslim world. Her comments reflect the growing cooperation and positive momentum between the two countries, analysts said.

Pakistan and Bangladesh have made significant progress in strengthening their relationship over the years. The relationship took a positive turn in March 2021 when then-prime minister Imran Khan wrote a letter of congratulations to his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, on the occasion of Bangladesh's 50th independence anniversary.

Bangladesh's response was positive, with Sheikh Hasina stating that her country was committed to maintaining peaceful and cooperative relationships with its neighbouring countries, 'including Pakistan'. Despite being South Asian countries, sharing the same religion, culture, and history, the relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh aren't warm at the present time.

The lukewarm relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan even five decades after Bangladesh's secession from Pakistan and its liberation through a particularly violent liberation war are because of two main reasons: the hurt of the 1971 liberation war is still quite raw and because Pakistan has not officially apologized for the war crimes it committed during the 9-month long liberation war in 1971.

However, as they say, quite a bit of water has since flowed down the Buriganga and the Indus rivers. There are now new realities that call for both sides to appreciate and mutually empathize with the evolving dynamics. Both Bangladesh and Pakistan need to resolve their problems and move forward. Policymakers from both sides need to be sensitive to each other's expectations as well as challenges. Indeed, for the sake of prosperity and security of both the nations, relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan must be...