Bangladesh and Pakistan have signed one agreement, four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), and one programme, marking a significant step in bilateral cooperation.
The signing ceremony took place on Sunday, 24 August, at Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka. Present at the event were Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Tauhid Hossain and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Prior to the signing, a bilateral meeting at the foreign minister level was held between the two nations. Bangladesh was represented by Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Tauhid Hossain, while Pakistan was led by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
| Type | Details |
| Agreement | Visa exemption for holders of government and diplomatic passports between Bangladesh and Pakistan. |
The four MoUs signed cover the following areas:
| MoU | Description |
| Joint Working Group on Trade | Formation of a bilateral trade-focused joint working group to enhance commercial cooperation. |
| Foreign Service Academies | Cooperation between the foreign service academies of both countries for training and development. |
| National News Agencies | Collaboration between Bangladesh’s Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and Pakistan’s Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). |
| Strategic Studies Institutes | Partnership between Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and Pakistan’s Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). |
Additionally, both countries agreed to implement a Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) to foster mutual understanding and cultural ties.
This visit marks the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to Dhaka in over a decade. On the first day of his two-day visit, Ishaq Dar held a series of important meetings, including discussions with leaders from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and NCP.
The visit and the agreements signal a renewed focus on diplomatic, cultural, and strategic cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan after years of limited high-level engagement.
