After Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar speaking at a recently held ‘Islamabad Conclave’ said that a trilateral initiative involving Bangladesh, China, and &nbsp;Pakistan is being worked out, and that it may expand to include other countries beyond the region, Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain reacted by saying &nbsp;it was “strategically possible for Bangladesh to join a regional grouping with Pakistan excluding India”.&nbsp;However, he pointed out that for neighbouring countries like Nepal or Bhutan to form a grouping with Pakistan excluding India was not possible.&nbsp;“It is possible for us (Bangladesh) strategically … (but) it is not possible for Nepal or Bhutan to form a grouping with Pakistan excluding India,” said Hossain, as reported by state-owned Bang­ladesh Sangbad Sangstha.&nbsp;He also remained non-committal about such a move and said that Mr Dar “has said something, and perhaps at some point this could see some progress”. Hossain also clarified that there was nothing from Pakistani side yet on the new grouping and the information has reached him only through social media, so he has nothing much to say.&nbsp;Notably, a few months back, Bangladesh had denied talks about joining any alliance without India despite its officials reportedly attended a meeting on June 19 in Kunming, China.&nbsp;<h2>SAARC and Its Collapse</h2>&nbsp;Meanwhile, political analysts believe that a SAARC-like body without India would be difficult to form. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation or SAARCwas formed in &nbsp;in 1985 with seven South Asian countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka becoming its members. &nbsp;Afghanistan joined the grouping as the eighth member in 2007.The grouping, however, collapsed due to the India-Pakistan rivalry, which hit SAARC's functioning.&nbsp;

However,  Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain pointed out that for neighbouring countries like Nepal or Bhutan to form a grouping with Pakistan excluding India was not possible

After Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar speaking at a recently held ‘Islamabad Conclave’ said that a trilateral initiative involving Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan is being worked out, and that it may expand to include other countries beyond the region, Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain reacted by saying it was “strategically possible for Bangladesh to join a regional grouping with Pakistan excluding India”. However, he pointed out that for neighbouring countries like Nepal or Bhutan to form a grouping with Pakistan excluding India was not possible. “It is possible for us (Bangladesh) strategically … (but) it is not possible for Nepal or Bhutan to form a grouping with Pakistan excluding India,” said Hossain, as reported by state-owned Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. He also remained non-committal about such a move and said that Mr Dar “has said something, and perhaps at some point this could see some progress”. Hossain also clarified that there was nothing from Pakistani side yet on the new grouping and the information has reached him only through social media, so he has nothing much to say. Notably, a few months back, Bangladesh had denied talks about joining any alliance without India despite its officials reportedly attended a meeting on June 19 in Kunming, China. SAARC and Its Collapse Meanwhile, political analysts believe that a SAARC-like body without India would be difficult to form. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation or SAARCwas formed in in 1985 with seven South Asian countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka becoming its members. Afghanistan joined the grouping as the eighth member in 2007. The grouping, however, collapsed due to the India-Pakistan rivalry, which hit SAARC's functioning.

However, &nbsp;Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain pointed out that for neighbouring countries like Nepal or Bhutan to form a grouping with Pakistan excluding India was not possible&nbsp;

Strategically possible for Bangladesh to form alliance with Pakistan, China, says Foreign Adviser

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Strategically possible for Bangladesh to form alliance with Pakistan, China, says Foreign Adviser