Bangladesh and Pakistan Seek Stronger Ties

Bangladesh and Pakistan reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen bilateral ties for the
mutual benefit of their peoples. Foreign Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh Md. Touhid Hossain
and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar
emphasized this during a bilateral meeting held in Dhaka in the morning today, while they led
their respective delegations. In the afternoon, Senator Dar called on the Hon’ble Chief
Adviser H.E. Professor Muhammad Yunus and conveyed the warm greetings of the Prime
Minister of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister is on a two-day official visit
to Bangladesh from 23 to 24 August 2025 at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart.
The bilateral meeting took place in a spirit of warmth and goodwill, reflecting the
brotherly relations between the two countries and their shared desire to augmenting
engagement and cooperation. The Foreign Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh emphasized the
importance of deepening collaborative bilateral relations founded on mutual respect,
understanding, and shared interests.
During the meeting, both sides engaged in a candid and constructive discussion on a
wide range of bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest and affirmed their
mutual commitment to enhancing cooperation in all potential areas including trade,
investment, agriculture, education, health, energy, connectivity, people-to-people contact,
culture, tourism and disaster management. The Bangladesh side underscored the importance
of unlocking the untapped potential across all sectors. They recognized the importance of
regular diplomatic and sectoral engagements in this regard.
The Foreign Affairs Adviser underscored the importance of enhancing economic and
commercial engagement to fully leverage each other’s complementarities. He emphasized on
the important role of the private sectors of both countries in this regard. The two sides
expressed satisfaction that significant progress has been made in simplifying visa processes,
improving maritime connectivity and to resume air connectivity.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan informed that Pakistan is in
the process of launching the ‘Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor,’ under which 500
scholarships will be awarded to Bangladeshi students for higher studies in Pakistan over the
next five years. One-quarter of these scholarships will be awarded in the field of medicine.
He has also conveyed Pakistan’s readiness to provide advanced medical treatment, including
limb replacement for 40 individuals including students injured during the July Uprising in
Bangladesh. Pakistan has offered to train hockey team from Bangladesh.
They also expressed hope that stronger bilateral relations would contribute positively
to peace, stability, and prosperity in South Asia and beyond. They exchanged views on
regional and international matters of mutual interest and concern.
Referring to the eighth anniversary of the Rohingya Genocide and their forced
displacement from decades of persecution, human rights violations, and genocidal atrocities
in their homeland, Myanmar, Bangladesh requested continued support from Pakistan in her
pursuit of early safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Both sides also strongly condemned the ongoing genocidal atrocities, grave human
rights violations and starvation campaign committed by the Israeli Occupying Forces against
the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip and west bank and called upon the international
community to act urgently to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. They called for holding
Israel accountable for its war crimes. Both sides stressed on the establishment of a viable,
sovereign Palestinian state on the basis of its 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Both sides reiterated the importance of strengthening cooperation in SAARC, OIC,
the United Nations, and other multilateral forums to promote the shared objectives for peace
and development.
Regarding the long outstanding historic issues including a formal official apology for
the genocide committed by Pakistan in 1971, division of assets, transfer of foreign aid that
was meant for the cyclone victims of 1970, repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, Bangladesh
called for their early resolution in order to establish a solid foundation for enduring and
forward-looking bilateral relations.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, expressing hope for deepened engagement
and stronger bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan extended an invitation to
the Foreign Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh to visit Islamabad.
The bilateral meeting was followed by a signing ceremony in the presence of the
Foreign Affairs Adviser and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. The Advisers on
Home Affairs, Commerce, and Information of Bangladesh and Pakistan’s Commerce
Minister H.E. Mr. Jam Kamal Khan, who is on an official visit to Bangladesh, were also
present during signing. One Agreement on the Abolition of Visa for Diplomatic and Official
Passport holders, one Cultural Exchange Programme and four MoUs on cooperation on
Trade, between News Agencies, Foreign Service Academies and Think Tanks of two
countries, were signed.

Foreign Ministry Press release
Dhaka, Bangladesh
August 24, 2025.