DPM congratulates newly appointed FM Dr Khalilur Rehman; both share a vision of regional peace, stability and prosperity
Newly appointed Bangladesh FM Dr Khalilur Rahman (right) with Pakistan’s FM Ishaq Dar (left)
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Bangladesh’s newly appointed foreign minister, Dr. Khalilur Rehman, discussed strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across various sectors during a telephone conversation on Sunday.
The rapprochement between Pakistan and Bangladesh followed the ouster of the Awami League government. In August 2025, the two countries signed several agreements to strengthen cooperation in trade, diplomacy, media, education and cultural exchange, marking a significant step in efforts to restore relations after years of strained ties.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 held a telephone conversation with Dr. Khalil ur Rahman, Foreign Minister of #Bangladeshand congratulate him on his recent appointment.
Both leaders expressed a desire to further strengthen bilateral ties,… pic.twitter.com/KDxVl6lZlr
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) 22 February 2026
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dar congratulated his counterpart on his recent appointment and both ministers emphasized a shared vision of peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
“They also agreed to expand cooperation across various sectors and in multilateral fora, with the aim of building a forward-looking partnership for the peoples of both countries,” the statement said.
Last week, the centre-right BNP won a landslide victory in parliament, just 18 months after mass protests led to the ouster of the country’s longest-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.
Read more: The BNP says it is open to promoting ‘forward-looking relations with Pakistan’ after election victory
In the historic general election, the BNP secured over two-thirds of the parliamentary seats, while Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s main religious party, came second.
After winning the election, Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister alongside newly elected lawmakers, marking a decisive political shift and the country’s first elected government since the deadly 2024 uprising.
Later, Tarique Rahman appointed a 50-member cabinet and named Khalil ur Rahman as foreign minister, a seasoned diplomat and former UN official who holds degrees from universities in Dhaka and the United States. He held the security portfolio in the interim government and helped mediate trade negotiations with the United States.
