Overview

• Pakistan said the leaders reviewed ties and agreed to strengthen cooperation on trade, regional connectivity and people-to-people exchanges during their New York meeting.
• This was their second encounter on UNGA sidelines in as many years, highlighted by officials as a sign of warming relations since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster.
• Muhammad Yunus publicly blamed strained India relations on New Delhi hosting Hasina and on what he called Indian-origin ‘fake news’ portraying Bangladesh’s student movement as Islamist.
• Yunus urged reviving SAARC and floated options such as a business-focused ‘mini‑SAARC’ and exploring closer links with ASEAN to boost access and trade.
• Bangladesh said Yunus also met leaders of Italy, Finland and Kosovo, with Italy and Finland expressing support for a credible election process next year.