Is Pakistan's eyes on Bangladesh melting at the behest of China?

Pakistan has now become unusually active in strengthening relations with Bangladesh. There are various political, strategic and economic reasons behind this. Many see the recent visit of Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to Dhaka as the beginning of a new chapter. This visit by a top Pakistani diplomat after 13 years carries special significance.

Ishaq Dar, who arrived in Dhaka on August 23, called his visit "historic". He spoke about the dream of joint cooperation of the young generation from Karachi to Chittagong or Lahore to Dhaka. According to him, this visit will help thaw the ice in the relations between the two countries and open new horizons in future partnership.

According to political analysts, after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, Pakistan feels that an opportunity has arisen to bring Dhaka-Islamabad relations closer again like the post-1975 period. Pakistan is also receiving positive signals from the new government. According to Dhaka University professor Delwar Hossain, Pakistan is trying to strategically exploit the current tension between Bangladesh and India.

In the past few months, there have been several meetings at the diplomatic and military levels between the two countries. Top officials of the Bangladesh Army and Navy have visited Islamabad, while Pakistan's Home Minister and Foreign Secretary have visited Dhaka. In this way, high-level dialogue between the two countries has gradually increased.

Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing economies in South Asia. The country has been able to maintain growth of more than 6 percent. On the other hand, Pakistan has lagged behind economically. In 2024, Pakistan exported goods worth $660 million to Bangladesh, while Bangladesh exported only $57 million. According to analysts, both countries can benefit from increasing trade in raw materials, markets and investments.

India is one of the reasons for the development of Bangladesh-Pakistan relations. Islamabad and New Delhi have long seen each other as rivals. Sheikh Hasina was close to India. Now, as Bangladesh's relations with India have cooled somewhat, Pakistan is seeing new opportunities. According to former diplomat Aijaz Chowdhury, Dhaka-Islamabad are adopting a kind of strategic consensus to maintain the balance of power in South Asia.

China is also a close ally of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Even during the Hasina government, Beijing established a strong presence in Dhaka. Relations with China continue despite the change of power. Bangladesh's possible purchase of J-10C fighter jets and infrastructure investment are part of this influence. As a result, Pakistan and Bangladesh are also coming closer to each other due to China's closeness.

Nevertheless, the memory of the 1971 Liberation War remains a major obstacle in the relationship between the two countries. Anti-Pakistan sentiment is still strong in Bangladesh due to the lack of a formal apology. The citizenship crisis of the Urdu-speaking population and the demands regarding the distribution of wealth are still unresolved.

According to analysts, despite the wounds of history, the future is built on current cooperation. It is possible to strengthen relations through economic, diplomatic and cultural exchanges. However, relations will not be fully strengthened without accepting the responsibility of the Liberation War and building bridges of trust.

In essence, Pakistan has become desperate to rebuild relations with Bangladesh due to political opportunities, economic needs and strategic realities. If Dhaka moves forward through pragmatic diplomacy, it is possible to heal the wounds of the past and build cooperative relationships for the future.