In a landmark development, Pakistan and Bangladesh have taken major strides toward strengthening bilateral relations with the launch of the Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor and the signing of six key agreements during Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s historic visit to Dhaka — the first Pakistani foreign ministerial trip in 13 years.
The Knowledge Corridor will offer 500 scholarships to Bangladeshi students over the next five years, with 25% reserved for medical studies. Additionally, 100 civil servants from Bangladesh will undergo specialised training in Pakistan, and technical scholarships under PTAP have been expanded fivefold.
During delegation-level talks with Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, six significant agreements were signed to institutionalise cooperation:
Visa-free entry for diplomatic and official passport holders
Joint Working Group on Trade to expand commercial ties
Foreign Service Academy MoU for strengthening diplomatic training
Media cooperation MoU between APP (Pakistan) and BSS (Bangladesh)
Research collaboration MoU between ISSI and BIISS
Cultural Exchange Programme to boost people-to-people ties
Both sides also agreed to revive the Joint Economic Commission, dormant for two decades, later this year. Dar met with senior Bangladeshi officials to explore new avenues in trade, connectivity, and economic cooperation, stressing Pakistan’s commitment to a forward-looking partnership based on shared heritage and Islamic traditions.
Regional and global issues were also discussed, including the revival of SAARC and humanitarian concerns such as Palestine and the Rohingya crisis. Analysts are calling these developments a turning point in multi-dimensional cooperation, spanning education, diplomacy, economy, and culture.
