Pakistan’s first direct cargo ship to Bangladesh in five decades docked last week, marking a historic thaw in relations between the two countries that has raised concerns in India about a potential strategic realignment in the region.
The vessel, sailing under a Panama flag from Karachi, arrived at the port city of Chittagong on November 11, signalling a significant step forward for Pakistan and Bangladesh, particularly after the ouster of former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s regime.
New Delhi should not be surprised that Bangladesh and Pakistan would make some significant progress in deepening their relationship, Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, told This Week in Asia.
“It is very clear that the interim government, because of its concerns about its partnership with India, would want to take a bit of a different approach to Pakistan,” Kugelman said.
“We have seen some pretty notable signalling from [Dr Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government] during his first few weeks in power, including meeting with senior Pakistani officials at the UNGA meeting.”
Yunus’ government has sought Interpol’s help to repatriate Hasina from India, where she is currently living, to face criminal trial over the violent crackdown on the student-led uprising against her regime that resulted in numerous casualties.
