Published on: August 24, 2025 6:09 PM
Pakistan and Bangladesh signed six important Memorandums of Understanding in Dhaka on Sunday, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, diplomacy, media, culture, and academic exchanges. The signing ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, marking the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to Bangladesh in over a decade.
The agreements included visa abolition for diplomatic and official passport holders, the creation of a joint working group on trade, collaboration between foreign service academies, media cooperation between national news agencies, academic cooperation between think tanks, and a cultural exchange programme. These steps are designed to institutionalize stronger ties and expand cooperation across multiple sectors for long-term stability and growth.
Following delegation level talks in Dhaka today, the DPM/FM @MIshaqDar50 and Foreign Adviser of Bangladesh oversaw signing of six instruments between Pakistan and Bangladesh. Their list includes Agreement between Pakistan and Bangladesh on Visa Abolition for Diplomatic and… pic.twitter.com/jFzKj00s6G
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) ignOfficePk/status/1959546106410381720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2025
On the second day of his visit, Ishaq Dar highlighted the importance of enhanced youth engagement between the two countries. He stressed that the new agreements and initiatives will create more opportunities for academic learning, people-to-people contact, and sustainable trade partnerships. The visit also coincided with the announcement of the “Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor.”
The new initiative will provide 500 scholarships to Bangladeshi students over the next five years, with a quarter of them dedicated to medicine. Pakistan will also arrange specialized training for 100 Bangladeshi civil servants, while the number of scholarships under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program will increase from five to twenty-five. These measures aim to strengthen educational and professional exchanges between the two nations.
Both sides also discussed broader regional and international issues, including the revitalization of SAARC, the Palestine conflict, and the Rohingya crisis. During his stay, Dar also met with Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rehman, extending well wishes from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and himself as the leader recovers from cardiac surgery.
Pakistan and Bangladesh, which began sea trade last year, are now focusing on creating long-term mechanisms to expand investment and economic cooperation. Officials believe the signing of these MoUs reflects a fresh chapter in bilateral relations, shaped by changing regional dynamics and the willingness of both governments to move forward constructively.
