Foreign Secretary M Jasim Uddin has said that Pakistan has been asked to formally apologize for the genocide committed by it's armed forces during the 1971 Liberation War.
“In addition, the issue of Bangladesh's debt to be recieved from Pakistan has been raised.They (Pakistan) said that they will continue discussions on this issue.”
The secretary shared this information at a media briefing at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday.
A meeting at the level of Foreign Secretaries of Bangladesh and Pakistan was held on this day. The meeting, organized at the State Guest House Padma, was led by Foreign Secretary M Jasim Uddin from Bangladesh's side, while Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch led their side.
In a media briefing on the meeting, M Jasim Uddin said that the unresolved issues of Bangladesh with Pakistan were raised in the meeting. These include repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, giving Bangladesh its fair share of undivided wealth, returning foreign aid for the 1970 cyclone and a formal apology to the country for the massacres committed by Pakistan's armed forces during the 1971 liberation war.
When asked about Pakistan's reaction to the formal apology, the Foreign Secretary said that they (Pakistan) would continue discussions on the matter.
Pakistani Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday to join the Foreign Secretary-level meeting of the two countries. She met Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain on Thursday afternoon. She also paid a courtesy call on Chief Advisor Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
The last Bangladesh-Pakistan Foreign Secretary-level meeting was held in Islamabad in November 2010. After 15 years, this meeting has not been held. After a long 15 years, a meeting was held with Pakistan at the Foreign Secretary level.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
