An eye on Pakistan, Bangladesh and China

Bangladesh, Pakistan and China have stepped up high-level engagements this week, signalling renewed diplomatic and security cooperation across the region.

Bangladesh’s Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, has travelled to China for an official visit where he is scheduled to meet senior civilian and military leaders.

His trip underscores Dhaka’s growing defence ties with Beijing, which has long been a strategic partner for Bangladesh in military training and procurement.

In a separate development, Bangladesh and Pakistan have agreed to ease restrictions on official travel.

The Advisory Council of Bangladesh’s interim administration, led by Muhammad Yunus, approved a mutual visa exemption agreement, his press secretary Shafiqul Alam told a news conference in Dhaka.

“The agreement will be for five years. Those who have diplomatic and official passports will be able to travel to Pakistan without a visa,” Alam said. He noted that Bangladesh already has similar arrangements with 31 other countries.

Under the deal, Pakistani officials will also be granted visa-free entry into Bangladesh.

The move is seen as a step towards improving bilateral ties, which have at times been strained by historical and political factors.

Pakistan has also intensified its own outreach to Dhaka.

Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal reached in Bangladesh on Wednesday on a four-day visit to strengthen commercial ties after years of tense relations, with talks scheduled with senior authorities and business leaders.

Meanwhile in Islamabad, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the General Headquarters (GHQ).

The discussions apparently centred on South Asia’s fragile security environment, with a special emphasis on Afghanistan, India, and the Gulf area.

The discussions, according to reports, centred on deepening economic and security partnerships, with emphasis on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and regional stability.

Taken together, these parallel diplomatic, military and economic engagements point to a recalibration of regional ties, with both Beijing and Islamabad seeking closer coordination with Dhaka while also reinforcing their bilateral partnership.