Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his desire to strengthen cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh following the appointment of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government.
Yunus, who recently returned from Paris after medical treatment, took the oath on Thursday to lead the interim government. His appointment came after violent protests led by students forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and leave the country. These protests tragically claimed the lives of over 400 people, mostly young students.
PM Sharif, 72, congratulated Yunus, 84, on his new role through a post on X, stating, “Heartiest felicitations to Professor Muhammad Yunus on his swearing-in as Chief Adviser of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. I look forward to working with him to deepen cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh.”
Yunus, known as the “banker to the poor,” received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work in combating poverty through microfinance. His appointment is seen as a significant step toward ensuring fair elections in Bangladesh.
Pakistan and Bangladesh share a long history of diplomatic relations, established in December 1975. Bangladesh is Pakistan’s largest trading partner in South Asia, with annual trade volumes ranging between $800 to $900 million. The two countries maintain strong people-to-people ties due to shared history and faith and continue to engage in dialogue through mechanisms like Bilateral Political Consultations and the Joint Economic Commission.