Pakistani Premier Sharif vows to deepen ties with Bangladesh in 1st meeting with Premier Rahman

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday vowed to deepen relations with Bangladesh as he held his first meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart, Tarique Rahman.

Sharif met Rahman on the sidelines of the ongoing 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, according to a statement from the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Office.

The two sides reviewed bilateral relations and “expressed satisfaction at the positive momentum in Pakistan-Bangladesh ties,” it said.

Rahman was elected prime minister in February this year.

Sharif congratulated Bangladesh on assuming the presidency of the 81st General Assembly and expressed Pakistan’s support for Bangladesh’s efforts to advance the objectives of the world body, the statement added.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s “resolve to further deepen mutually beneficial bilateral relations with Bangladesh.”

Rahman reciprocated the “sentiment” and expressed “satisfaction on the positive trajectory and noted his government’s keen desire to enhance Bangladesh-Pakistan ties,” Sharif’s office said.

The two sides reaffirmed their “commitment to further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, education, tourism and people-to-people contacts.”

They also exchanged views on regional and global developments and emphasized the importance of continued coordination at multilateral fora, particularly the UN.

According to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha News, the two premiers exchanged views on “matters of mutual interest, regional and international situations and potential areas of cooperation for the welfare of the peoples of the two countries.”

“They underscored the importance of further advancing Bangladesh-Pakistan relations based on mutual respect, mutual understanding and cooperation,” the report said.