When Dhaka Demands an Apology from Islamabad

Amazing news broke out from Dhaka, as Bangladesh’s current caretaker government dared to ask for an apology from Islamabad for the genocide engineered by the unruly Pakistani armed forces during the 1971 liberation war. An unconditional apology from Pakistan had been insisted upon by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina until she was ousted by a student-led public uprising in July–August last year, which even compelled her to leave the country and take temporary shelter in India, where she remains to this day. Always standing against Hasina, the interim government in Dhaka has somehow echoed a similar sentiment to that of the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the independence hero of Bangladesh.

The stage was set for a foreign secretary-level meeting in Dhaka on 17 April, where the Bangladesh delegation raised the issue in front of the visiting Pakistani counterpart. The Foreign Office Consultation (FOC), held after 15 years, also witnessed a series of issues placed by the host team led by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin. The Pakistani delegation, led by its Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, reportedly insisted on continuing engagement in talks. Bangladesh also demanded financial compensation of USD 4.32 billion from Pakistan as its share of the combined assets of the undivided Islamic Republic of Pakistan before the birth of Bangladesh in 1971.

It is worth mentioning that Bangladesh claims around 30 lakh people were killed and more than two lakh Bengali women were raped by Pakistani troops during the 1971 Muktijuddha. Soon after, the Indian armed forces supported the Muktijoddhas, and the Pakistani forces officially surrendered on 16 December, marking the victory of the Mukti Bahini. Dhaka also pushed for the repatriation of nearly three lakh Pakistani citizens (who refused to take Bangladeshi citizenship and are still stranded in Bangladesh) to their home country. The host delegation further demanded a share of foreign aid funds (around USD 200 million), which were generated for the victims of the 1970 Bhola tropical cyclone that killed over five lakh people in the then East Pakistan.

However, Dhaka’s inclination toward Islamabad has not diminished, as it expects Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar (also in charge of the foreign ministry) to visit Bangladesh on 27–28 April — the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister since 2012. The visiting Pakistani bureaucrat also met with the interim government’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, where both sides agreed to resolve many hurdles between the two nations with an aim to boost mutual cooperation and explore trade and business potentials. Earlier, a delegation from Pakistan’s Chambers of Commerce & Industry visited Bangladesh and signed a memorandum of understanding with their Bangladeshi counterparts in January 2025.

Often criticized by some Indian media outlets for taking a hard stand against Hasina, Prof Yunus lately found another reason to celebrate as the octogenarian microfinance pioneer was featured in the list of 100 Most Influential People by TIME magazine. The American news weekly included his name in the current list under the “Leaders” category, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, and Indian-origin CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Reshma Kewalramani. (Notably, no Indian was featured in the entire list of dominant personalities this year.) The New York-based magazine also reported that Prof Yunus was the oldest among the awardees of 2025.

In a recent national address, Prof Yunus assured that the upcoming general election would be the most free, fair, and acceptable polls in the history of Bangladesh. The Election Commission has already begun making all necessary preparations, and all political parties have started preparing for the electoral process. He also added that Bangladesh is interested in joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Malaysia (the new rotational chair of ASEAN) has assured the necessary support. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who visited Bangladesh last year, gave a positive response to Dhaka's request. Regarding Bangladesh’s geographical location, Prof Yunus commented that the nation is fortunate to border India, Nepal, and Bhutan. If these four countries of South Asia can create a joint economy, he argued, everyone will benefit fairly.

Sitting on huge expectations from common Bangladeshi nationals and galvanizing the national aspiration amid all difficulties, the lone Nobel laureate of India’s immediate neighbour made his presence felt by conveying the message that he wants a new Bangladesh with equal opportunity for every citizen, irrespective of one’s religious faith or ethnicity. A ruined economy, disorganized government departments and agencies, and a lack of goodwill and trust among the people greeted Prof Yunus in his office of power. The soft-spoken banker turned political head diligently conveyed his determination to grow Bangladesh as an important player in South and Southeast Asian politics.

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