ISLAMABAD:
A senior Bangladeshi military official is on a rare visit to Pakistan and on Tuesday visited the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi to hold meetings with Pakistani military leadership.
Lieutenant General SM Kamr-ul-Hassan, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) Division of Bangladesh Armed Forces, who is the second in command, is the first high-ranking Bangladeshi general to visit Islamabad for many years.
Lt Gen Hassan’s visit, accompanied by senior army officers, highlights the change in bilateral relations between the two countries since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August last year following violent demonstrations.
Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh remained at a standstill during the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina, who repeatedly rebuffed Pakistan’s peace overtures. But since his ouster from power, relations between the two countries have visibly improved.
The two sides have intensified their contacts and several meetings have taken place at the leadership level in recent months to repair relations. The visit of the Bangladesh army delegation led by a top general is seen as a further indication of warming relations between the two countries.
The Bangladeshi general held separate meetings with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, according to army media.
During the meeting between the Army Chief and Lt. Gen. Hassan, he held in-depth discussions on the evolving security dynamics in the region and further explored avenues to strengthen bilateral military cooperation .
The two generals, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), stressed the importance of a “stronger defense relationship”, stressing that the enduring partnership between the two brotherly nations must remain “resilient in the face of external influences “.
The army chief reiterated the importance of “joint efforts” to promote “peace and stability” in South Asia and the wider region, while ensuring that both countries continue to contribute to security regionally through collaborative defense initiatives.
Meanwhile, Lt Gen Hassan and his delegation held a detailed meeting with CJCSC Gen Mirza at the Joint Staff Headquarters (JSHQ). Their discussions focused on issues of “mutual strategic interest” and explored avenues to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation.
Both sides stressed the importance of strengthening military ties and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting this partnership from any external disruption. Gen Mirza and Lt Gen Hassan agreed on the “critical need” for continued collaboration to promote regional “peace, security and stability”.
The CJCSC reiterated that the two countries shared a “common vision” of a secure and prosperous future, underpinned by strong defense cooperation. Lieutenant General Hassan praised the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and expressed deep admiration for their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, recognizing the resilience and dedication displayed by the forces.
