Pakistan, Bangladesh sign six agreements in Dhaka visit

Pakistan and Bangladesh deepened their diplomatic and economic engagement on a two-day visit to Dhaka, the first state-level trip by a Pakistani foreign minister in 13 years. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with Bangladesh’s leadership, including Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, as well as commerce officials and a range of political parties. The visit culminated in the signing of six cooperation agreements designed to broaden trade, diplomacy and cultural exchange, and in renewed pledges to advance regional cooperation through SAARC.

The agreements cover a broad agenda. They include a visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders, a joint working group on trade, and a series of memorandums linking foreign service academies, state news agencies, and strategic studies institutes. Additional MoUs cover media cooperation, academic exchanges, and a cultural exchange program for 2025–28. Pakistan and Bangladesh have already moved toward visa-free entries for officials and diplomats and are pursuing direct government-to-government trade arrangements that have seen growing contacts and commercial ties in...