DHAKA/ISLAMABAD — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka on Sunday, marking the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to Bangladesh in 13 years.
According to the Foreign Office, the meeting focused on strengthening bilateral ties, reviving historical linkages, enhancing regional connectivity, promoting youth exchanges, and boosting trade and economic cooperation. Both sides also discussed regional developments and prospects for broader collaboration.
Dar conveyed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s greetings to the Bangladeshi interim leader and expressed appreciation for the hospitality extended by Dhaka.
Six Agreements Signed
During delegation-level talks, Dar and Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain oversaw the signing of six cooperation instruments, including:
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Visa abolition for diplomatic and official passport holders
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MoU on establishing a Joint Working Group on Trade
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MoU between Pakistan and Bangladesh’s Foreign Service academies
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MoU between Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)
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MoU between Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS)
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Pakistan-Bangladesh Cultural Exchange Programme
“These agreements will institutionalise and further strengthen cooperation in trade, diplomacy, academia, media, and culture,” the FO said.
Knowledge Corridor Initiative
Coinciding with the visit, Islamabad launched the Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor, under which 500 scholarships will be granted to Bangladeshi students over the next five years — a quarter of them in medicine. Additionally, 100 Bangladeshi civil servants will receive training in Pakistan, while scholarships under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program have been increased from five to 25.
Political Meetings
Dar also met Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, conveying PM Shehbaz’s greetings and best wishes for her health. He lauded her services to Bangladesh during her premiership.
Separately, the deputy PM met Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh Emir Shafiqur Rahman, stressing the need for further strengthening ties between the two countries.
Shifting Dynamics
The visit comes amid warming Pakistan-Bangladesh relations following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after a mass student-led uprising. Since then, Islamabad and Dhaka have expanded trade links, including launching sea trade last year and formalising government-to-government commerce earlier this year.
“The talks took place in a constructive atmosphere, reflecting goodwill and cordiality between the two countries,” the FO statement said.
