Pakistan and Bangladesh have recently taken a significant step to bolster their bilateral relations by signing six key agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation in multiple areas including trade, economics, diplomacy, culture, and media.

This landmark event took place on August 24, 2025, in Dhaka during the official two-day visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, marking the first visit by a Pakistani Foreign Minister to Bangladesh in 13 years.

The six agreements signed are comprehensive and institutionalise cooperation as follows:

An Agreement on Visa Abolition for Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders, enabling visa-free travel for diplomatic and official passport holders between the two countries, facilitating easier official exchanges.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Joint Working Group on Trade, aimed at addressing trade issues and boosting bilateral commerce.

An MoU between the Foreign Service Academies of Pakistan and Bangladesh for enhanced diplomatic training cooperation.

An MoU between the Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, fostering media cooperation.

An MoU between the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad and Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies to promote academic and policy research partnerships.

A Cultural Exchange Program designed to deepen people-to-people ties through shared cultural activities.

Alongside these agreements, Pakistan concurrently announced the launch of the "Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor," a major educational collaboration initiative. This project will grant 500 scholarships to Bangladeshi students for higher education in Pakistan over the next five years, with 25% of the scholarships dedicated to medical studies. It also includes training programs for 100 Bangladeshi civil servants and an increase in scholarships under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program from 5 to 25.

The visit and the signing of these agreements represent a "significant milestone" as described by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signalling a renewed era of partnership between the two countries. Discussions during the visit also included regional issues like the Palestine and Rohingya crises and the revival of SAARC, reflecting broader regional cooperation ambitions.

This multifaceted cooperation package is aimed at institutionalising and expanding bilateral ties in trade, education, diplomacy, media, and culture, fostering closer ties after years of strained relations post-1971 independence of Bangladesh. The revival of high-level dialogue and concrete agreements like these signal a substantive reset and forward momentum in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations.

Based On ANI Report