'Foe turned friend, first time in 20 years'; Bangladesh rekindles relationship with Pakistan

DHAKA: After straining diplomatic ties with India over providing asylum to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is on a mission to find friends from old foes. Bangladeshi military representative recently paid a visit to Pakistan and in response, Pakistan sent four senior officers of the intelligence agency ISI to Dhaka. India is wary of growing ties between its neighbours. The Ministry of External Affairs is assessing the situation.

Six senior officials under the leadership of Lt. Gen. SM Kamrul Hasan reached Rawalpindi on January 13 and held discussions with Pakistani high officials. Later, on January 21, Pakistan Major General Shaheed Amir Afsar's team visited Bangladesh. This is the first visit by the ISI team to Bangladesh in 20 years.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India is paying attention to all matters affecting national security and is working on ways to reach a détente with Bangladesh. He also stated that the government will take necessary measures after monitoring the situation.

During Sheikh Hasina's tenure as Prime Minister, Pakistan ISI operations in Bangladesh were completely shut down. This was based on the assessment that the agency's covert activities and political interference could lead to instability in the country. But under Muhammad Yunus’s tenure, Bangladesh is more intrigued towards the idea of a theoretic state and for strange reasons, has rekindled its friendship with once foe Pakistan.