Bangladesh demands $4.5 billion, apology from Pakistan

Dhaka presses Islamabad over 1971 war atrocities, financial claims, and repatriation of stranded Pakistanis during first high-level talks in 15 years

DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Bangladesh has formally demanded $4.52 billion from Pakistan in financial claims dating back to before the country’s 1971 independence, during the first bilateral foreign office consultations in 15 years.

The demand includes Bangladesh’s share of undivided Pakistan’s pre-1971 assets, unpaid provident funds, savings instruments, and $200 million in foreign aid originally sent to then-East Pakistan in the aftermath of the 1970 Bhola cyclone.

The historic meeting was held Thursday at the State Guest House Padma in Dhaka, led by Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin and Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch. The two sides addressed long-standing issues that have weighed on bilateral relations since the violent separation of East Pakistan into present-day Bangladesh more than five decades ago.

“We raised the unresolved historical matters, including a formal apology for the atrocities committed by Pakistani forces during the 1971 Liberation War and the outstanding financial claims,” Jashim Uddin told reporters following the meeting. He added that Pakistan had agreed to remain engaged on these issues.

“These matters need to be settled to lay a solid foundation for future relations,” he said.

Bangladesh also urged Pakistan to complete the repatriation of its citizens stranded in Bangladesh since 1971. While nearly 27,000 Pakistanis have returned home since then, approximately 324,000 remain in 79 camps across 14 districts, according to Dhaka’s figures.

The talks come ahead of a scheduled visit by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to Dhaka on April 27–28, marking the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to Bangladesh since 2012.