Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with leaders of major Bangladeshi political parties during his visit to Dhaka on Saturday.
The meetings began in the afternoon at the Pakistan High Commission in Gulshan, where Dar first met a seven-member delegation from the National Citizens’ Party (NCP).
Later, he held separate meetings with representatives of Jamaat-e-Islami and, in the evening, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
The six-member BNP delegation was led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, with other members including Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Selima Rahman, Vice-Chairman Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, and Organizational Secretary Shama Obayed. According to BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan, the evening meeting had concluded at the time of reporting.
During the visit, Ishaq Dar is also scheduled to visit BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s residence on Sunday evening (August 24) to inquire about her health, Shairul Kabir Khan confirmed.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, Dar met with a five-member delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami, led by Naib Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher.
Speaking after the meeting, Taher said discussions focused on strengthening bilateral and regional trade relations, as well as revitalizing SAARC.
He added that both sides emphasized the importance of balanced foreign relations for Bangladesh, particularly in fostering solidarity among Muslim countries on global issues such as the Palestinian conflict.
Before meeting Jamaat-e-Islami, Dar held talks with the seven-member NCP delegation led by NCP Secretary Akhtar Hossain. Hossain said the discussion aimed to convey the perspective of the Bangladeshi people and explore opportunities for improving historically strained relations.
Key topics included education, healthcare, and fostering fraternal ties among South Asian countries without any dominance by one nation.
Dar arrived in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon for a three-day official visit on a special flight, and he was received at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.
During his visit, he is expected to meet with Bangladesh’s foreign advisers, including Touhid Hossain and Dr. Muhammad Yunus, as well as leaders of various political parties, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
