Islamabad and Dhaka have formalized six agreements, including visa-free travel for diplomats, plus educational and media collaborations.
Pakistan and Bangladesh have entered into six cooperative agreements designed to enhance their bilateral relations.
Signed on Sunday during Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar’s visit to Dhaka – the first high-level visit in over a decade – the agreements include visa exemptions for diplomats and government officials.
Trade and diplomatic activity between Islamabad and Dhaka have been limited in the past decade, largely due to trials in Bangladesh related to its 1971 independence struggle from Pakistan, which faced accusations of widespread killings during the conflict. Relations were further complicated by the perceived pro-India leanings of former President Sheikh Hasina.
The visa-free agreement followed discussions between Dar and Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain. Additional agreements focused on strengthening cooperation in trade, diplomatic training, education, media, strategic studies, and cultural exchange, according to BDNews24.
Further memorandums of understanding encompassed the creation of a joint working group on trade, collaboration between foreign service academies and national news agencies, and a partnership between the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies and the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, the report stated.
During their meeting in Dhaka, Dar and Hossain reaffirmed their dedication to reinforcing the “multifaceted and historic” relationship between their nations, based on “mutual respect, understanding and cooperation.” Hossain described Pakistan as a “key neighbor in South Asia” at a subsequent press conference.
The Bangladeshi Foreign Affairs Adviser also confirmed the impending launch of direct flights between the countries, with initial approval granted to two Pakistani airlines. Pakistani carriers will need to use Chinese airspace or fly over Sri Lanka, due to the ongoing reciprocal flight ban between New Delhi and Islamabad.
According to media reports, the annual bilateral trade turnover between Pakistan and Bangladesh is less than $1 billion.
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