Desk Report:
A high-level bilateral meeting between the interior ministers of Bangladesh and Pakistan was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, on Tuesday (July 7, 2026).
The Bangladesh delegation was led by Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and the Pakistani delegation was led by the country’s Interior and Narcotics Control Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi in the meeting, which was held in a very cordial atmosphere.
The meeting discussed in detail various important issues of mutual interest, including bilateral security cooperation, regional stability, prevention of drug smuggling, ensuring modern urban security, capacity building of the police force, and the Rohingya crisis.
At the beginning of the discussion, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed recalled the successful visit of the Pakistani Interior Minister to Bangladesh in May this year. He expressed satisfaction that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Bangladesh and Pakistan to prevent the illicit trafficking and misuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances during the visit will play an effective role in protecting the borders and societies of the two countries.
Regarding bilateral relations, the Home Minister expressed his determination to further strengthen bilateral relations with Pakistan based on the common history of the two countries and mutual respect, understanding and partnership. Regarding the resumption of direct flights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on the Dhaka-Karachi route from January this year after a long break of 14 years, he said that this has opened new horizons of communication and trade between the people of the two countries.
In the meeting, the Home Minister raised the issue of the humanitarian crisis of Bangladeshi citizens living in Pakistan with great importance. He said that due to the lack of necessary family documents (Family Tree), many Pakistani citizens of Bangladeshi origin and their family members are facing difficulties in obtaining the country’s ‘Computerized National Identity Card’ (CNIC). As a result, they are being deprived of basic rights like education and healthcare. Expressing concern over this, the Minister made a special request to the Pakistani Minister to consider the issue from a completely humanitarian perspective and find a quick and permanent solution to it.
Referring to Pakistan’s successful experience in urban security and the use of modern technology, the Home Minister said that the ‘Safe City’ initiative implemented in more than 40 major cities of Pakistan and the modern urban security system can be very exemplary for Bangladesh. Incidentally, he mentioned that the then Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Bangladesh (who is currently the Cabinet Secretary) had visited the ‘Safe City’ model of Islamabad, Lahore, Multan and Karachi on site during his visit in September 2025. Using this experience, Pakistan can provide technical and strategic cooperation to make the cities of Bangladesh safer.
The Home Minister also sought Pakistan’s cooperation in providing higher training to police officers to enhance the professionalism and efficiency of Bangladesh Police. Regarding the Rohingya crisis, the Minister said that in the past, Bangladesh and Pakistan have worked through coordinated measures on the complex issue of unregistered Rohingyas staying in Saudi Arabia. In the future, the close consultations and practical steps of the two countries will play an effective role in such global and regional crises. He said that Bangladesh expects Pakistan’s strong and consistent support in the international arena so that Myanmar can repatriate its citizens in a speedy, safe, dignified and sustainable manner.
When the Interior Minister of Pakistan invited Bangladeshi Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed to visit Pakistan, he thanked him and said that he would make the visit at a convenient time.
Senior officials of the Home Ministries of the two countries participated in the meeting.
