Pakistan and Bangladesh are entering a new phase of engagement, driven by mutual interest in peace, economic progress, and regional cooperation. Despite decades of strained relations rooted in historical sensitivities, both countries today appear increasingly eager to turn the page and forge a more constructive partnership. Pakistan has expressed a clear desire to strengthen its ties with Bangladesh and deepen trade and cooperation across sectors.

The resumption of direct trade in early 2025, marked by the first shipment of Pakistani rice to Chattogram in over half a century, signaled more than just economic exchange. It marked a renewed willingness to move past historical discomforts and focus on shared opportunities. Historical grievances between Pakistan and Bangladesh, such as unresolved issues around assets or calls for formal apologies, remain a sensitive part of the bilateral relationship. While acknowledging these sensitivities exist, the experience of functional cooperation in Europe offers a powerful lesson:

Deep economic interdependence and shared prosperity create the most conducive environment for resolving intractable political and historical issues.

Lingering mistrust rooted in past events continues to shape public perceptions, but this distance can be narrowed through focused short and long-term strategies that both countries need to adopt. By shifting the focus to mutual gains, such as trade, joint ventures, and people-to-people exchanges, can build trust, promote a shared stake in the future, and create the conditions to address historical grievances through cooperation rather than confrontation

While diplomatic ties experienced strain, economic interaction never fully ceased, though it operated far below capacity. Current annual bilateral trade hovers around US$ 824 million, a figure starkly disproportionate to the combined market size of nearly 400 million people.

Pakistan exports to Bangladesh reached US $778 million in FY-24, dominated by cotton (US $593.94 million), salt, sulphur, and........

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