NEW YORK: Bangladesh interim government's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus held a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
According to Chief Advisor's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, the meeting on Wednesday (local time) focused on trade and economic ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
This marked the second meeting between Yunus and Sharif -- the first being on the sidelines of last year's UNGA meet -- reflecting the growing closeness between Dhaka and Islamabad since the ouster of the democratically elected Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Relations between Dhaka and Islamabad remained strained during the 15-year rule of the former Awami League government due to issues such as the war crimes trials in Bangladesh and broader regional politics.
Key issues in Bangladesh-Pakistan relations have always included Pakistan's role in the 1971 genocide during the Liberation War, the return of stranded assets, and compensation.
However, things have changed drastically since the formation of the interim government led by Yunus in August 2024.
Last month, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made a two-day official visit to Dhaka, marking the first state-level visit of any Pakistani official to Bangladesh in 13 years.
During this meeting, Dar claimed that the long-standing 1971 genocide issue had been resolved twice in the past, a claim which was quickly denied by Dhaka.