DHAKA: Pakistan and Bangladesh reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen bilateral relations during Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar’s two-day official visit to Dhaka. Dar held extensive discussions with Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, and other senior officials, emphasizing enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, education, health, energy, tourism, connectivity, and disaster management.
During the visit, Dar announced the launch of a “Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor,” offering 500 scholarships for Bangladeshi students over five years, including one-fourth for medical studies. He also extended advanced medical treatment to 40 students injured during the July uprising and proposed training support for Bangladesh’s hockey team.
Both sides welcomed simplified visa procedures, improved maritime connectivity, and plans to resume direct air links. Six instruments were signed, covering visa abolition for diplomatic and official passport holders, MoUs on trade, diplomatic training, media cooperation, strategic studies, and cultural exchange programs. The agreements include training for 100 Bangladeshi civil servants.
The two nations exchanged views on key international issues, with Bangladesh seeking Pakistan’s support for the safe repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Both condemned Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank, calling for a permanent ceasefire and a viable Palestinian state based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. Cooperation in SAARC, OIC, and the UN was also reaffirmed.
During the visit, Dar met opposition leaders, including Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Shafiqur Rahman and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, conveying best wishes and recalling previous diplomatic engagements.
Upon completion of his Dhaka visit, Dar will travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to attend the Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, advocating for Palestinian rights, Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories, humanitarian aid, and diplomatic solutions to ongoing crises.
