Pakistan, Bangladesh ink six collaboration deals
(MENAFN) Pakistan and Bangladesh have inked six agreements aimed at deepening cooperation between the two South Asian neighbors.
The accords, which include visa-free travel for diplomats and government officials, were finalized during the visit of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar to Dhaka on Sunday, marking the first high-level trip between the countries in more than ten years.
Relations between Islamabad and Dhaka have been minimal over the past decade, largely due to trials in Bangladesh linked to the 1971 independence war, during which millions were reportedly killed. Tensions were also fueled by the previous Bangladeshi administration’s perceived alignment with India.
The visa-free arrangement followed discussions between Dar and Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain. Other agreements focused on enhancing cooperation in trade, diplomatic training, education, media, strategic studies, and cultural exchanges, according to reports.
Additional memorandums included the creation of a joint trade working group, 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 in Islamabad.
During their talks, Dar and Hossain emphasized their commitment to strengthening the “multifaceted and historic” relationship between the countries, grounded in “mutual respect, understanding and cooperation.” At a press briefing, Hossain described Pakistan as a “key neighbor in South Asia.”
The Bangladeshi adviser also confirmed plans to launch direct flights between the two nations, with two Pakistani airlines receiving initial approval. Flights would need to pass over Chinese or Sri Lankan airspace, as India and Pakistan continue to maintain reciprocal bans on each other’s carriers.
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