Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan, Bangladesh’s chief of naval staff, met with Pakistan’s army commander, Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, last week, marking the two South Asian countries’ second defense-level meeting in less than a month.

The development is viewed as a move by Bangladesh’s interim administration to enhance its regional interactions and defence relations. Previously, the second-in-command of the Bangladesh Army met Munir in Rawalpindi.

Hasan met with Shah in Rawalpindi on Friday to discuss naval cooperation and participation in a multinational naval exercise organised by the Pakistan Navy, according to people familiar with the matter, adding that a section of the Bangladesh military has been emphasising collaboration with Pakistan to boost “regional stability”.

Last month, ET reported that the Pakistani army plans to begin training sessions for its Bangladeshi equivalent this month. Aside from hosting the director general of Pakistan’s ISI agency, the Bangladesh military has received military delegations from Rawalpindi following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina administration.