The two-day visit by Ishaq Dar, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan, beginning today, is a new step towards a closer relationship between Dhaka and Islamabad. This is the first time in decades that someone of the rank of Dar is visiting Dhaka on an official visit. Dar will, of course, call on Muhammed Yunus, the chief advisor of Bangladesh and hold meetings with two members of Bangladesh's 'cabinet,' Touhid Hossain, the foreign affairs advisor and S.K. Bashiruddin, the commerce advisor. The Dar visit could have happened earlier, but for other events, and comes in the wake of two other significant visits by Pakistan government officials-- a recent one by commerce minister Jam Kamal and earlier, by Amna Baloch, the foreign secretary. Security and other ties between the two countries began after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left for India last August. Since then, Bangladesh Navy warships have participated in a multilateral exercise hosted by Pakistan. Structured meetings between academic and cultural bodies of the two countries have already begun. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh army chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman, left for China yesterday. The General, who has spoken out against mob violence and the need to hold elections by the end of the year, has also spoken about the need to make disparaging remarks about the country's freedom movement, which was led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The army chief will be returning on August 27 after meetings with senior People's Liberation Army officials. China is already an important player in Bangladesh's security calculus. The most important project has been the construction of a submarine base big enough to hold six boats. Bangladesh currently has only two submarines, both procured from China. The Bangladesh Navy has two frigates and four corvettes from China as well. Bangladesh's main battle tanks and also, light tanks as well as armoured vehicles of different kinds come from China. Apart from the MiG-29, the Bangladesh air force has the F-7, a Chinese fighter.