The government is reportedly considering inviting Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as the chief guest for next month’s Pakistan Day parade, with a final decision on the visit schedule expected next week.
Sources say Federal Minister and PML-N Secretary General Prof Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, who attended Rahman’s oath-taking ceremony in Bangladesh last week, reiterated an invitation on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, asking the Bangladeshi premier to visit Pakistan at the earliest opportunity. According to the same sources, Rahman responded positively to the invitation.
Bangladesh’s High Commissioner in Islamabad, Muhammad Iqbal Hussain Khan, also signaled interest in closer engagement, saying his country’s government and people are keen to further strengthen relations between the two sides.
Separately, diplomatic sources indicate that Tarique Rahman has chosen Bhutan as the destination for his first foreign visit as prime minister.
The move is being seen as a reciprocal gesture after Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay attended Rahman’s oath ceremony, reportedly the only head of government from the SAARC region to do so.
If confirmed, a Pakistan visit tied to the March 23 parade would mark a high-profile diplomatic engagement between Islamabad and Dhaka, as both sides continue to signal interest in improving bilateral ties.