A delegation of prominent Bangladeshi scholars recently visited Afghanistan with the goal of fostering deeper religious, cultural, and economic ties with the Islamic Emirate.
The delegation of Bangladeshi Islamic scholars, including Mawlana Mamunul Haque and Mufti Mawlana Monir Hossain Qasemi, travelled to Kabul on Wednesday 17 September.
During the visit, the delegation from Bangladesh was scheduled to hold meetings and discussions with ministers, senior scholars, and other high-ranking officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
The delegation was organised and facilitated by Prosper Afghanistan, a UK-based organisation dedicated to the development and advocacy of post-war Afghanistan.
Proper Afghanistan organised the fact-finding mission with the goal of exploring potential avenues for the two Muslim nations to foster deeper ties through religious, cultural, and economic engagement.
The visit came just after Afghanistan was recently hit with a devastating set of natural disasters.
On 31 August, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake which hit Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people.
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Bangladesh responded promptly with immediate humanitarian assistance following the event, which Afghanistan commended and acknowledged as a symbolic and brotherly gesture.
A bid to deepen ties
The main goal of this visit, a first of its kind from Bangladesh since the Taliban came to power in 2021, was to explore increased cooperation in trade, healthcare, and education, all through diplomatic engagement.
Faisal Ahmad, the director of Proper Afghanistan, said: “This visit marks a significant first: a public delegation of senior Bangladeshi ʿulamāʾ engaging directly with the leadership of the Islamic Emirate in Kabul as part of a fact-finding mission.”
Through this delegation, the two nations have expressed a clear potential for future cooperation in many sectors, such as education, agriculture, and trade.
Historically, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, despite being two large Muslim-majority countries with a shared history, have seen limited bilateral interaction.
Most importantly, this increased cooperation comes at a time of a broader global shift where more governments are engaging with Afghanistan as a formally recognised sovereign nation.
Notable meetings took place, such as one held by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mawlawi Amir Khan.
Discussions about the promotion of formal diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Afghanistan, the expansion of trade and business cooperation, and the strengthening of scholarly and religious relationships between the two countries took place.
The delegation of Bangladeshi scholars included Mawlana Abdul Hamid (also known as the “Pir of Madhupur”), Mawlana Abdul Haque, Mawlana Abdul Awal, Mawlana Mamunul Haque, Mawlana Monir Hossain Qasemi, Mawlana Mahbubullah Qasemi, and Mufti Muhammad Hidayatullah.
After spending a few days in Kabul, the delegation concluded its trip by thanking the Afghan officials for their hospitality and transparency.
They also assured that they were committed to continuing diplomatic engagement with each other, through religious, scholarly, and political lines.
