Three high-level delegations to visit Bangladesh this month

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to send three high level delegations to Bangladesh during the month for opening new vistas of cooperation in different fields.

The decision has been taken in the light of discussions between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Adviser Bangladesh Muhammad Younis in Cairo last month.

Sources told The News here the other day that a trade delegation, representing various sectors, would be on top of the list. The delegation which would comprise leading businessmen would be visiting Bangladesh after about twenty years.

Later, a similar delegation from Bangladesh would be visiting Pakistan, the sources said.

A cultural delegation would be visiting Bangladesh separately and it would also visit different cities of Bangladesh besides capital Dhaka.

The two countries would explore the scope of starting flights between various cities of the two countries that would play an important role in enhancing bilateral ties and business.

Some more delegations would also undertake visits. The two governments have asked their high commissioners, Syed Ahmad Maroof (Dhaka) and Muhammad Iqbal Hussain (Islamabad), to work for boosting all round ties and they have started working on it.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, who is visiting Malaysia in the first week of February, would be visiting Bangladesh in the same leg while returning home. He was invited by his counterpart from Dhaka. It would be the first high echelon visit in 13 years from Pakistan to Bangladesh.

Former foreign minister Ms Hina Rabbani Khar visited Dhaka in 2012.

Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar’s visit would be followed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Bangladesh as well, the sources said.