NEW DELHI/DHAKA: In a move that carries significant diplomatic and economic weight, Pakistan has offered Bangladesh access to its crucial Karachi Port, a development reported by the Pakistani news channel Samaa on October 28, 2025. This collaboration in shipping and port access is poised to allow Dhaka to substantially expand its global trade network, arriving at a time when relations between Bangladesh and its powerful eastern neighbour, India, are notably tense.
The offer was formalized during the 9th Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting between Pakistan and Bangladesh, recently concluded in Dhaka. This marks the first such high-level bilateral economic meeting between the two nations in two decades. The session was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister, Ali Pervez, and Bangladesh’s Finance Advisor.
The Diplomatic Undercurrent: A Reunion Across India
The decision to boost cooperation is particularly noteworthy given the historical context. Bangladesh was formerly East Pakistan, achieving independence in 1971 with the decisive support of India. This renewed and strengthened collaboration between the erstwhile East and West Pakistan—situated on opposing sides of India—is seen as a significant diplomatic signal of closer alignment and partnership.
An official statement issued after the JEC meeting confirmed that both countries specifically underscored the importance of boosting collaboration between their national shipping corporations, with the offer of Karachi Port access being a central component.
Wider Scope of Pak-Bangladesh Cooperation
Beyond the critical trade and shipping sector, the two nations have agreed to deepen ties across a wide spectrum of areas:
- Tourism: Both medical and religious tourism will be actively promoted.
- Economic Development: Efforts will be made to boost investment and industrial progress.
- Key Sectors: Agreements were reached to increase cooperation in energy, climate change initiatives, and information technology and communication.
- Halal Market: The Pakistan Halal Food Authority and the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute signed a memorandum of cooperation to ensure quality assurance, positioning both countries to better capitalize on the growing global halal market.
- Connectivity: Both sides committed to speeding up efforts to launch direct flights between Pakistan and Bangladesh to strengthen people-to-people and business ties.
- Other Fields: Agriculture, education, banking, health, tourism, textile, and information and broadcasting were also listed as areas for future joint initiatives.
Timing and Context: Strained India-Bangladesh Relations
The timing of this announcement is highly relevant to the current geopolitical climate in South Asia. Bangladesh has been governed by an interim regime led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus since the unseating of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year.
- Controversial Diplomatic Exchange: The report surfaced just one day after Bangladesh’s interim head, Muhammad Yunus, presented a controversial gift—a distorted map of Bangladesh that appeared to incorporate India’s northeastern states, including Assam—to a Pakistani general in Dhaka, an action that has already ignited a diplomatic row with India.
- India’s Trade Restrictions: Over the past year, India has progressively tightened trade access for Bangladesh. Notably, since the start of 2025, India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) restricted the import of products such as readymade garments, processed food, plastic goods, and carbonated drinks through all land routes. These restrictions, particularly targeting products like jute items, were widely seen as a retaliatory measure following Dhaka’s decision to close its land ports to Indian yarn exports.
With former PM Sheikh Hasina currently exiled in India and the new interim government led by Yunus making a series of controversial statements directed at New Delhi, particularly after the Modi government raised concerns over the safety of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh, this new economic and strategic partnership with Pakistan represents a significant geopolitical realignment in the region.