Dhaka, April 17 -- The foreign secretaries of Bangladesh and Pakistan are having talks as part of an effort to strengthen the relations between the two countries after one and a half decades.

The Foreign Office Consultation (FOC), a platform for dialogue between the two countries, began around 10:30am on Thursday at the State Guest House Padma. The last such meeting was held in 2010.

Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin represented Bangladesh, while Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch is leading the Islamabad delegation.

During the 15 years of Awami League rule, relations between Dhaka and Islamabad remained largely stagnant due to issues such as the war crimes trials in Bangladesh and broader regional politics.

Following the ouster of...