Pakistan Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch will arrive in Bangladesh today to attend the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC), the first such diplomatic engagement in 15 years, as Dhaka and Islamabad seek to normalise relations.

At tomorrow's FOC at the State Guest House Padma, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin will lead the Bangladesh side, while Amna Baloch will head the Pakistan delegation.

All bilateral issues will be discussed during the FOC, said diplomatic sources.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, also the foreign minister, is expected to visit Bangladesh on April 27–28.

Relations between the countries have been warming since the fall of the Awami League-led government last August. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has met twice since then -- on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September last year and  at the D-8 summit in Cairo in December.

Since then, Bangladesh has eased visa rules for Pakistani nationals and launched direct shipping.

Both countries' businesses are showing keen interest in boosting trade, said the sources, adding that Pakistan also wants to enhance cultural exchanges and establish direct air connectivity.

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Bangladesh eyes Pakistan as emerging sourcing destination

"Pakistan sees potential for boosting exports to Bangladesh, especially if their products are price-competitive," said Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Iqbal Hussain Khan, now in Dhaka for the meeting.

Pakistan aims to export products like cotton, sugar, rice, and wheat, he added. In FY 2023–24, Bangladesh exported $61.98 million to Pakistan and imported goods worth $627.8 million.

As Pakistan serves as a gateway for goods from Afghanistan and Iran, Dhaka can export many goods from those countries through Pakistan, the diplomat added.

He said a Pakistani airlines -- Fly Jinnah -- has secured approval for flights between Dhaka and Karachi, while Air Sial, another private one, has applied for permission to operate flights.

The reconnection of direct air link is expected to boost tourism and people-to-people contact between the countries, he added.

The last FOC in 2015 covered sensitive issues, which remain unresolved. However, officials stress these should not hinder current engagement.

In the last FOC in 2015, discussions were held on several issues, including Pakistan's unconditional apology for the 1971 war crimes, compensation for war damages, repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, Bangladesh's rightful share of pre-1971 assets, and repayment of foreign aid during the 1970 cyclone.

Asked about the unresolved issues, Iqbal Hussain said such matters often persist in bilateral relations but should not hinder current engagement or economic cooperation.