‘Bangladeshis keenly await meeting of Dr Yunus with Shehbaz’

Islamabad: The scheduled meeting between Prime Ministers Shehbaz Sharif and Dr Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of UN General Assembly is being keenly anticipated in Bangladesh as a very welcoming development.

This was shared here by renowned International relations experts from Bangladesh at a roundtable discussion on “Post-Hasina Wajid Bangladesh” organised by Institute of Regional Studies (IRS). Prof Saber Ahmed Chaudhry, Dean, Dhaka University, and Prof Shahab Enam Khan from Jhangirnagar University, Dhaka, highlighted the goodwill and desire for enhancing multifaceted cooperation shared by the peoples of Pakistan and Bangladesh. They also expressed their optimism about Bangladesh's future under the leadership of Dr Yunus, noting that Bangladesh had the potential to achieve political stability, economic growth and balanced foreign relations.

Prof Saber explained that the students-led protests were a result of years of marginalisation of younger generations from mainstream politics as well as widespread corruption and highly politicised institutions. Dr Syed Rifaat Hussain. Former Chairperson, DSS, QAU, stressed the need for caution as the situation in Bangladesh was still unfolding. Recalling his experience as the former High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Ahmed Siddiqi, Additional Foreign Secretary (Asia-Pacific), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that despite political challenges in the last 15 years, he had witnessed deep affection for Pakistan among the ordinary Bangladeshis.