Bangladesh–Pakistan Military Ties Enter a New Phase of Strategic Engagement
The Bangladesh Armed Forces are undertaking extensive efforts to deepen and institutionalise their defence relationship with Pakistan, marking a notable shift in Dhaka’s approach to regional military diplomacy. A Bangladesh Army delegation is scheduled to depart for Rawalpindi on 3 November 2025 to participate in the first-ever Army-to-Army Staff Talks between the two countries. This new bilateral mechanism is designed to facilitate structured dialogue on military cooperation, operational coordination, training, and industrial collaboration, signifying the highest level of formal engagement between the two forces since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.
This development follows closely after the October 24–28 visit of General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) of the Pakistan Army, to Dhaka — a landmark event that symbolised the maturing of a relationship long shaped by history and shared institutional roots. During his stay, General Mirza was accorded full protocol and hospitality by the Bangladesh Armed Forces, including a visit to the Sylhet Cantonment, home to the 17th Infantry Division, where he observed training activities and interacted with senior officers. The visit underscored the high level of confidence and trust now being extended by Dhaka to Islamabad’s military establishment. General Mirza’s engagements included meetings with Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus, National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, and the chiefs of all three services — General Waker-uz-Zaman, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, and Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan. These meetings not only reaffirmed the professional ties between the two militaries but also paved the way for institutionalised cooperation at both strategic and operational levels.
Moreover on 8 November, the Pakistan Navy Chief, Admiral Naveed Ashraf will embark upon a 4-day official visit to Bangladesh to further enhance naval relations between the two countries.
Bangladesh’s renewed engagement with Pakistan comes at a time when Dhaka’s defence policy is undergoing a period of strategic diversification. The Armed Forces have been expanding their global partnerships, pursuing indigenous capability development, and modernising through the Forces Goal 2030 programme. Within this framework, the decision to re-engage with Pakistan represents a pragmatic recalibration based on historical familiarity, doctrinal parallels, and mutual benefit. Both militaries share common operational roots, a similar training ethos, and comparable equipment in certain categories, making cooperation both feasible and cost-effective. For Dhaka, the relationship is part of a broader strategic move to foster multiple defence partnerships without being over-reliant on any single country, thereby ensuring strategic flexibility and autonomy in its security policy.
The upcoming Rawalpindi dialogue, scheduled for 3–7 November 2025, will be led by Major General Mohammad Masudur Rahman, Adjutant General of the Bangladesh Army, accompanied by a lieutenant colonel and two majors. The Pakistan Army will host the delegation and bear all related expenses, reflecting Islamabad’s clear interest in nurturing long-term defence ties with Bangladesh. This institutionalised platform follows a series of reciprocal visits between the two sides throughout 2025. In January 2025, Lieutenant General S. M. Kamrul Hassan, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division (AFD), led a high-ranking delegation to Rawalpindi, marking the first official senior-level contact in over a decade. Soon after, a three-member ISI team visited Dhaka to hold discussions on regional intelligence cooperation and security coordination. Since then, three additional Pakistan Army delegations have travelled to Bangladesh, engaging in talks that covered training exchanges, logistical cooperation, intelligence liaison, and potential joint ventures in defence manufacturing.
The Armed Forces Division, operating directly under the Chief Adviser’s Office, has been at the forefront of this growing military diplomacy. Under Lt Gen Kamrul Hassan’s leadership, the AFD has positioned itself as a key instrument of Bangladesh’s evolving foreign and defence policy. His tenure has been marked by a strong emphasis on defence diversification, procurement acceleration, and industrial modernisation. Lt Gen Hassan has been a vocal proponent of rebuilding bridges with Pakistan, alongside expanding defence cooperation with other strategic partners such as Türkiye and China. Through the AFD’s coordination, Bangladesh has adopted a pragmatic approach — strengthening ties based on practical benefit, technological exchange, and shared professional values, while maintaining its policy of non-alignment and strategic balance.
The year 2025 has thus far been a period of significant transformation in Bangladesh’s defence diplomacy. In addition to closer engagement with Pakistan, Dhaka has advanced discussions with Baykar Technologies of Türkiye to jointly produce the Bayraktar TB2 UAV, developed plans to modernise the Army’s riverine warfare capability, and explored opportunities for co-production of armoured and artillery systems. The outreach to Pakistan, however, carries unique significance due to the two nations’ intertwined military past and the decades of limited contact that followed. Rebuilding such a relationship requires political prudence and professional trust — both of which appear to be gradually taking shape.
Looking ahead, the inaugural Army-to-Army Staff Talks are expected to explore opportunities for joint training, exchange programmes, defence education, logistics support frameworks, and industrial cooperation through national facilities such as Bangladesh Ordnance Factories (BOF) and Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF). There is also interest in exploring possible collaboration in areas such as small arms production, tactical communication systems, and maintenance support for legacy platforms still in service with both militaries.
While the depth and future trajectory of the relationship will depend on political continuity and strategic alignment, the trend is clear: Dhaka now views Islamabad as a pragmatic and professional defence partner, capable of contributing to Bangladesh’s long-term modernisation goals. The frequency of official visits, establishment of structured dialogue mechanisms, and mutual willingness to cooperate on training and technology suggest that a new foundation is being laid for sustained military-to-military engagement.
For the first time in decades, Bangladesh and Pakistan are engaging not as estranged institutions but as two professional armed forces seeking to advance mutual interests through practical cooperation. This revival of contact, marked by structured dialogue and shared professional respect, may well redefine South Asia’s defence landscape — placing Bangladesh in a position of greater strategic flexibility and influence in a region long shaped by historical divides.
Assessment
The evolving Bangladesh–Pakistan defence relationship represents one of the most significant strategic developments in Dhaka’s foreign and security policy in recent years. While political relations between the two countries have often been restrained by historical sensitivities, the armed forces of both nations appear to be charting a pragmatic and professional course focused on shared operational interests, defence industrial opportunities, and regional stability.
For Bangladesh, re-establishing structured military dialogue with Pakistan is consistent with its ongoing policy of strategic diversification — a deliberate effort to engage with a wider range of defence partners to support self-reliance and technological advancement under Forces Goal 2030. The Armed Forces Division’s leadership has been instrumental in pursuing this agenda, aligning military diplomacy with Bangladesh’s broader objectives of capability development and autonomy in procurement.
From a regional perspective, this re-engagement also signals Dhaka’s growing confidence in pursuing independent strategic decisions, free from external influence or regional pressure. The relationship with Pakistan, therefore, should not be viewed in isolation but rather as part of Bangladesh’s broader recalibration of its defence partnerships, encompassing Türkiye, China, South Korea, and other nations willing to engage in balanced and mutually beneficial cooperation.
If sustained through institutional dialogue, training partnerships, and defence industrial collaboration, the Bangladesh–Pakistan military relationship could evolve into a stable and functional partnership based on professionalism and shared interests. This would not only enhance Bangladesh’s defence capacity but also reinforce its long-term goal of maintaining strategic autonomy and regional balance amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in South Asia.
Ayesha Farid is a regional security specialist focusing on South Asia, with over a decade of experience analysing inter-state tensions, cross-border insurgency, and regional power dynamics. She has worked with leading policy think tanks and academic institutions, offering nuanced insights into the complex security challenges shaping the subcontinent. Ayesha’s expertise spans military doctrines, border disputes, and regional cooperation frameworks, making her a vital contributor to BDMilitary’s coverage of South Asian strategic affairs. She leads the Geopolitics & Diplomacy section at BDMilitary. Ayesha holds a dual master’s degree — a Master in International Relations from the IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs, Spain, and a Master of Public Policy from the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, Canada — combining deep academic insight with practical policy expertise.
