Dhaka: Pakistan and Bangladesh on Sunday signed six key Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at rebuilding ties and deepening cooperation after years of strained relations.
The signing ceremony in Dhaka was overseen by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar along with Bangladesh’s Adviser for Foreign Affairs Md Touhid Hossain.
The agreements include visa abolition for diplomats and officials, cooperation between foreign service academies, and collaboration between Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). Other MoUs focus on partnerships between Islamabad’s Institute of Strategic Studies and Dhaka’s Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, the establishment of a Joint Working Group on Trade, and a 2025–2028 Cultural Exchange Programme.
Dar’s visit marks the highest-level Pakistani presence in Dhaka since 2012. Islamabad has called the trip a “significant milestone” in relations. Hina Rabbani Khar was the last Pakistani foreign minister to visit Dhaka more than a decade ago.
During discussions, both sides reviewed a wide range of matters, including trade, investment, cultural exchanges, regional cooperation, and pressing international issues such as Palestine, the Rohingya crisis, and the revitalisation of SAARC. Talks were described as constructive, reflecting “goodwill and cordiality.”
Dar also met Bangladesh’s Adviser for Commerce Sk. Bashir Uddin, along with Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and top Bangladeshi officials, to boost economic and commercial cooperation. Emphasis was placed on enhancing trade, improving connectivity, and expanding direct sea and air links.
Pakistan’s envoy in Dhaka, Imran Haider, hosted a reception in Dar’s honour, where the deputy premier stressed the centuries-old cultural and Islamic ties binding the two nations. He also met political delegations to discuss reforms, youth engagement, and regional dynamics.
Bilateral relations have gained momentum in recent months. In February, the first direct sea trade link was established, and plans for direct flights are underway. Defence ties have also strengthened, with a senior Bangladeshi general visiting Pakistan earlier this year—the first such visit in decades.
Observers note that India, uneasy over warming Pakistan-Bangladesh ties, views this rapprochement as a threat to its strategic position in the region. However, both Islamabad and Dhaka insist that their cooperation is based on mutual benefit and regional peace.
