Bangladesh Urges Pakistan to Apologise for 1971 Atrocities

Bangladesh on Thursday reiterated its long-standing demands to Pakistan, including a formal public apology for the atrocities committed by the Pakistani military during the 1971 Liberation War. The call was made during the first Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between the two countries in 15 years, signalling renewed diplomatic engagement aimed at addressing unresolved bilateral matters.

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin led the Bangladesh delegation at the talks held at the State Guesthouse Padma, while Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch represented Islamabad. The discussions covered a wide range of political, economic, and historical issues.

Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the meeting, Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin said, “We have clearly raised the demand for a formal apology from Pakistan for the genocide and atrocities committed during our War of Liberation in 1971. We also sought a resolution on two other long-pending issues: the repatriation of over 300,000 stranded Pakistanis and the recovery of $4.5 billion in assets owed to Bangladesh.”

“These issues need to be addressed with sincerity if we are to build a stable and forward-looking relationship,” he added.

The Bangladesh side sees Pakistan’s participation in the consultations and their positive response as a sign of willingness to re-engage after more than a decade of diplomatic dormancy. “They expressed interest to stay engaged. Our objective was to put forward the key unresolved issues and stress the need for meaningful progress,” the Foreign Secretary said.

The meeting also paved the way for higher-level diplomatic engagements. Jashim Uddin announced that Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, is scheduled to visit Dhaka on April 27–28. This will mark the first visit by a Pakistani Foreign Minister to Bangladesh since 2012, a move that underscores Islamabad’s effort to revive bilateral ties.

“We hope this visit will help create new momentum in our relationship. We also look forward to the launch of direct flights between the two countries, which would facilitate people-to-people contacts and boost trade,” Jashim noted.

During her Dhaka visit, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch also held separate meetings with Chief Adviser of the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, and Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain. The discussions focused on regional cooperation, trade and connectivity, and the need for resolving legacy issues from the past.

Apart from the foreign secretaries, senior officials from both countries, including Ishrat Jahan, Director General of the South Asia Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the high commissioners of both nations, attended the talks.

This round of consultations was initiated by Pakistan, which proposed the FOC as part of its broader effort to normalise and enhance its diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh. The last such meeting was held in 2010.

While both sides agreed to continue dialogue on mutual interests, Dhaka emphasised that resolving the outstanding historical issues — especially the apology and asset claims — remains essential for building a relationship based on trust, justice, and mutual respect.