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High Commission of Bangladesh, Islamabad

The High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad is the chief diplomatic mission of Bangladesh to Pakistan. It is located in Sector F-6 of Islamabad.[1] The present Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Pakistan is Md. Ruhul Alam Siddique, who assumed diplomatic duties in October 2020.[2][3] Bangladesh also has a Deputy High Commission in Karachi, and an honorary consul in Lahore.[4][5]

High Commission of Bangladesh, Islamabad
ইসলামাবাদে বাংলাদেশের হাইকমিশন
Map
LocationIslamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan
AddressHouse No. 1, Street No. 5, Sector F-6/3
Coordinates33°44′10.6″N 73°4′30.0″E / 33.736278°N 73.075000°E / 33.736278; 73.075000
Opened3 January 1976
High CommissionerMd. Ruhul Alam Siddique
Websiteislamabad.mofa.gov.bd

History

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Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh are historically significant due to the fact that from 1947 to 1971, Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, formerly as East Bengal province and later as East Pakistan.[6]

Following Bangladesh's secession, Pakistan eventually recognised Bangladesh in February 1974 and diplomatic relations were established.[6] In January 1976, both countries exchanged their envoys for the first time and the Bangladeshi embassy in Islamabad became functional.[7][8][9][2] Initially, the embassy was operated from a "cluttered, four‐room hotel suite" in the neighbouring city of Rawalpindi, where Bangladesh's first envoy Zahiruddin had set up a temporary base, before moving to its permanent location.[10] In 1989, the embassy became a High Commission following Pakistan's rejoining of the Commonwealth after leaving in 1972.[11]

In December 2013, the High Commission received threats of an attack after the Bangladeshi government executed Abdul Quader Molla for his alleged role in the 1971 war, a sentence that was condemned by Pakistan. As a result, security was strengthened around the mission.[12] In October 2014, security measures were renewed at both the High Commission and the Deputy High Commission in Karachi as similar threats were received once again.[13] In January 2016, Pakistan expelled Maushumi Rahman, a political counsellor based at the Bangladeshi High Commission, amidst a diplomatic row as Bangladesh executed more political opposition leaders on war crime allegations. The Pakistani move was reportedly pre-empted by Bangladeshi allegations made against Farina Arshad, a diplomat posted at Pakistan's High Commission in Dhaka, whom Bangladesh accused of "spying" and who Pakistan subsequently withdrew on the pretext of "harassment".[14] In May 2019, it was reported that the High Commission's visa operations were being affected as Bangladesh's newly-appointed visa officer was facing paperwork delays from Pakistani authorities.[15]

As of 2021, the Bangladeshi government has purchased five acres of land in the Diplomatic Enclave to inaugurate a new High Commission complex, which is under construction. The new building has been designed by the Bangladeshi architecture firm Shatotto, and is noted to be inspired by the "greenery and wet environment of Bangladesh together with the verticality of the Margalla Hills". The architectural elements and themes used in the design draw upon those used in the ancient Indus and Bengali civilisations, thus presenting a "meeting ground for two civilizations" and reflecting the common past of both countries.[16]

High Commissioners

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Main article: List of High Commissioners of Bangladesh to Pakistan

Md. Ruhul Alam Siddique is the 14th and current Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Pakistan.[2] Siddiqui presented his credentials to the president of Pakistan on 3 November 2020.[17]

Operations

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The Bangladeshi High Commission's primary aim is to enhance the political, economic and defence cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh. It also provides consular services to Bengalis in Pakistan, and the issuance of Bangladeshi visas.[18][1][15] The High Commission's operating hours are from 9 am to 5 pm (PST) on weekdays.[19] The mission is organised into the following sections, each headed by an officer working under the High Commissioner:[20]

  • Political Wing
  • Defence Wing
  • Consular Wing
    • Md. Shahidul Islam – Counsellor
  • Press Wing

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Contact Us". High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad. 2019. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Roll of Honour". High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad. 2019. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Md Ruhul Alam Siddique made new Bangladesh high commissioner to Pakistan". Dhaka Tribune. 21 July 2020. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Other Representations in Pakistan". High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad. 2019. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Pakistan (Karachi)". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Bangladesh). 27 August 2021. Archived from the original on 22 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  6. ^ a b Riaz, Ali; Rahman, Mohammad Sajjadur (2016). Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Bangladesh. Routledge. pp. 384–385. ISBN 9781317308775. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Pakistan". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Bangladesh). 3 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  8. ^ Pakistan Horizon. Vol. 31. Pakistan Institute of International Affairs. 1978. p. 90. Retrieved 28 August 2021. The Ambassador of Bangladesh presented his credentials to the President of Pakistan on 2 January 1976, and Pakistan's Ambassador to Bangladesh reached Dacca on 12 January 1976.
  9. ^ Chakravarti, S. R.; Narain, Virendra (1986). Bangladesh: Global politics. Vol. 3. South Asian Publishers. p. 169. ISBN 9788170030966. Retrieved 28 August 2021. On 1 January 1976 the first Bangladesh envoy Zahiruddin reached Islamabad. Similarly Pakistan's first envoy to Bangladesh Mohammad Khurshid arrived in Dhaka on 16 January 1976.
  10. ^ Borders, William (2 February 1976). "Bengalis building tie with Pakistan". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Home". Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Karachi. 2018. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  12. ^ Chowdhury, Syed Tashfin (22 December 2013). "Pakistan-Bangladesh relationship strained". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  13. ^ Khan, Naimat (14 November 2014). "Bangladesh diplomatic missions in Pakistan receive threats". The Frontier Post. Retrieved 1 September 2021. Sources said that after the high commission of Bangladesh expressed fears of possible attack and threats, Pakistan beefed up security of both High Commission in Islamabad and deputy High Commission in Karachi.[permanent dead link‍]
  14. ^ "Pakistan expels Bangladeshi diplomat amid worsening 'spy' row". Reuters. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  15. ^ a b Ishtiaq, Muhammad (23 May 2019). "No block on visas for Pakistanis, says Dhaka high commission". Arab News Pakistan. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  16. ^ "New High Commission Complex under Construction". High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad. 2019. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Envoys of five countries present credentials to Alvi". The Frontier Post. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Political Relations". High Commission of Bangladesh in Pakistan. 2019. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Office Hours". High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad. 2019. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  20. ^ "List of Officers". High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad. 2019. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
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