Top officials from both sides discussed the upcoming visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to Bangladesh.
Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary (Asia and Pacific), Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, held high-level meetings with senior Bangladeshi officials in Dhaka to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, including foreign relations, trade, culture, and visa facilitation, according to a statement from the Pakistan High Commission on Wednesday.
During his discussions with Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin, both sides reviewed the current state of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations, which they described as being based on “mutual respect and shared values.” They expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in ties and agreed to deepen cooperation in the coming months. The upcoming visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to Bangladesh was also on the agenda.
Siddiqui also met with Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, where they acknowledged growing trade ties and explored opportunities for further economic collaboration. Additionally, discussions with Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Ataur Rahman focused on fostering cooperation in music, cinema, theatre, and youth exchanges, aiming to strengthen cultural connections between the two nations.
In talks with Senior Home Affairs Secretary Nasimul Ghani, both sides noted the ease of travel between Pakistan and Bangladesh and discussed ways to enhance bilateral collaboration in security and mobility.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, reports emerged that the Bangladesh military has acquired Turkish TB-2 Bayraktar drones and has been deploying them near the Indian border for surveillance operations. Defence sources told ANI that Indian agencies have been monitoring the drones’ movements over the past few months, noting that they are operating within Bangladesh’s airspace but close to India’s borders.
While Pakistan and Bangladesh seek to bolster diplomatic and economic ties, Bangladesh’s growing military capabilities and its use of surveillance drones near India remain under close scrutiny.
Turkish drones near India border
Amid concerns over Pakistan’s close military ties with Bangladesh, it is now emerging that the Bangladesh military has acquired the Turkish TB-2 Bayraktar drones and is operating them close to the Indian border for surveillance operations.
Defence sources told ANI that the Indian agencies concerned have seen the drones operating and are closely monitoring them.
Sources said the drones have been seen carrying out sorties in the last few months and are flying inside their own territory along the borders with India.
The Indian side has taken all measures, including installing radars for keeping a close watch on their activities in these areas, they said.
On occasions, the TB-2s of the Bangladeshi military have also flown sorties of over 20 hours on surveillance missions, the sources said.
The Bayraktar TB2 is in the Medium Altitude Long Endurance category of drones and has been one of the biggest successes of the Turkish defence industry. The unmanned aircraft is capable of being equipped with air-to-ground weapons and has been used extensively in global conflicts.
In recent times, Bangladesh administration led by Mohammed Yunus is seen increasing ties with the Pakistani intelligence agencies and has even welcomed their officers to visit areas closer to the Indian border inn sensitive zones like the Chicken’s Neck corridor in Siliguri, West Bengal.
Recently, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi had expressed concerns over the presence of Pakistani military and intelligence officials in Bangladesh near Indian territory.
“I had used the word epicentre of terrorism for a particular country (Pakistan). Now those countrymen, if they go to any other place and they happen to be our neighbour, as far as I am concerned, I should be concerned about it. That they should not be able to use that soil to send terrorists to India. That is as far as that is concerned,” General Dwivedi had recently said in the ANI Podcast.
