Why did top Pakistani general Shamshad Mirza meet Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus? Here’s what we know

The visiting Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna late Saturday.

"During the meeting, they discussed a wide range of issues concerning Bangladesh-Pakistan relations, including the growing importance of bilateral trade, investment, and defence cooperation," the Chief Adviser's Press Wing said in a statement on Sunday.

"Emphasising the shared historical, cultural, and people-to-people ties between the two countries, General Mirza expressed Pakistan's desire to strengthen cooperation in multiple sectors. He noted the vast potential for expanding trade, connectivity, and investment between Bangladesh and Pakistan," it added.

"Our two countries will support each other," General Mirza said, adding that a two-way shipping route between Karachi and Chittagong has already begun operations, while a Dhaka-Karachi air route is expected to open within months.

Both sides also underscored the need to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and Europe. They exchanged views on the growing challenge of misinformation and the misuse of social media by non-state actors to undermine peace and stability across various regions.

"Fake news and disinformation have flooded social media. It is being used to sow chaos. There must be a concerted global effort to combat this menace," the Chief Adviser remarked.

Bangladesh's National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman, Senior Secretary and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, and Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider were present during the meeting.

The historically tense relationship between the two nations—a legacy of the 1971 Liberation War in which East Pakistan fought West Pakistan, leading to the creation of independent Bangladesh- has shown signs of improvement since Yunus assumed power following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government amid a student-led protest movement.

Speaking at the Aman Dialogue 2025, Bangladesh Navy Chief Admiral Mohammad Hasan stressed the significance of the military exercise, stating, “Land divides but sea unites.”

Bangladesh is set to hold elections in February 2026, marking the first polls since a student-led uprising last year toppled Sheikh Hasina, ending her 15-year rule and forcing her into exile in India.

Three days after Hasina's ouster, Yunus assumed power, pledging to restore order and implement reforms. By May, his government had banned the activities of Hasina's Awami League and arrested many senior party leaders, while others, including former Cabinet ministers, fled to India and other countries. Hasina and her immediate family members, including Wazed and his sister, now face charges ranging from corruption to crimes against humanity.

The country's political landscape has also grown more fragmented, as the Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh's largest Islamist party, re-entered politics more than a decade after being suppressed under Hasina. Over the past year, it has expanded its influence and is seeking to form alliances with other hard-line Islamist groups and parties.

(With inputs from ANI)