The gift of a coffee table book by Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to the visiting Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chief, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza in Dhaka on Saturday has triggered a fresh controversy.
The book, Art of Triumph: Graffiti of Bangladesh's New Dawn, features a cover image that some netizens claimed resembled a map showing parts of India as belonging to Bangladesh. However, some Bangladeshi X users insist it is a symbolic representation of the national flag.
Regardless, the episode coincides with growing engagement between Dhaka and Islamabad, signaling a possible warming of ties after years of strained relations.
The meeting between Yunus and Mirza covered trade, investment, and defence cooperation. Analysts note that General Mirza is the highest-ranking Pakistani military official to visit Bangladesh since the two countries began rebuilding diplomatic and military channels. This development comes at a time when India has been a key security and economic partner for Dhaka.
According to the X handle of the Chief Adviser, the visiting Chairman of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, paid a courtesy call on Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna late Saturday. During the meeting, they discussed a wide range of issues concerning Bangladesh–Pakistan relations, including growing importance of bilateral trade, investment, and defence cooperation.
Emphasising the shared historical, cultural, and people-to-people ties between the two countries, General Mirza expressed Pakistan’s desire to strengthen cooperation in multiple sectors. He noted the vast potential for expanding trade, connectivity, and investment between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
"Our two countries will support each other,” General Mirza said, adding that a two-way shipping route between Karachi and Chittagong has already begun operations, while a Dhaka–Karachi air route is expected to open within months.
Both sides also underscored the need to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and Europe. They exchanged views on the growing challenge of misinformation and the misuse of social media by non-state actors to undermine peace and stability across various regions.
“Fake news and disinformation have flooded social media. It is being used to sow chaos. There must be a concerted global effort to combat this menace,” Muhammad Yunus remarked.
For New Delhi, any significant rapprochement between Bangladesh and Pakistan could be viewed through a strategic lens.
Diplomatic experts note that while the visit itself was largely ceremonial, the symbolism—highlighted by the controversial book cover and high-level military engagement—adds a layer of complexity to South Asian geopolitics.
