The air chief of Bangladesh on Thursday discussed avenues for enhancing defence cooperation with Pakistan in separate meetings with Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf.
Bangladesh Air Force Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Hasan Mahmood Khan called on CDF Munir at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security dynamics and avenues for enhancing bilateral defence and military cooperation were discussed,” the statement read.
“Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening professional collaboration, training exchanges and defence ties between the Armed Forces of Pakistan and Bangladesh.”
According to the ISPR, ACM Khan lauded the “professionalism of Pakistan Armed Forces and appreciated their contributions towards regional peace and stability”.
CDF Munir reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to fostering enduring defence relations with Bangladesh. The ISPR said the meeting reflected the “longstanding and strong bonds between the two brotherly countries”.
Separately, ACM Khan called on Admiral Ashraf at the Naval Headquarters in Islamabad, the ISPR said.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual professional interest, evolving regional security paradigm, and avenues for further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation were discussed,” the ISPR said about their meeting as well.
ACM Khan “acknowledged the high professional standards of Pakistan Navy and expressed his desire to enhance collaboration between the two brotherly nations’ armed forces”, the ISPR said.
“The dignitaries agreed on the importance of increasing the frequency of high-level exchanges and joint training exercises to foster greater synergy.”
The naval chief highlighted the Pakistan Navy’s commitment to regional maritime peace and stability through its various initiatives.
The Bangladeshi air chief is leading a high-level defence delegation during his visit to Pakistan.
He met with his Pakistani counterpart on Tuesday, wherein both air chiefs held detailed discussions on the “potential procurement” of JF-17 Thunder aircraft, ISPR said.
The ISPR highlighted that ACM Khan’s visit underscored the “deepening defence ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh, following the significant” visit of Admiral Ashraf to Dhaka in November 2025.
During his visit to Bangladesh, Admiral Ashraf had met with Dhaka’s senior military leadership and discussed avenues to bolster defence cooperation, the Navy had said.
It had termed his trip, which also encompassed visits to the National Defence College and the Bangladesh Naval Academy, a “milestone”.
Dawn – Homenone@none.com (News Desk)Read More
