New Visa-Free Deal to Boost Pakistan-Bangladesh Official Exchanges

Pakistan and Bangladesh have taken a major step to deepen educational and professional cooperation with the launch of the “Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor”. The initiative aims to create stronger academic, professional, and cultural links between the two countries.

Under the program, 500 scholarships will be offered to Bangladeshi students over the next five years for higher education in Pakistan, with 25% reserved for medical studies. In addition, 100 Bangladeshi civil servants will join specialized training programs, and scholarships under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program have risen from 5 to 25.

The announcement coincided with the historic visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, marking the first visit by a Pakistani foreign minister to Bangladesh in 13 years. During his two-day trip, Dar met with Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain to review bilateral relations covering trade, diplomacy, culture, education, and humanitarian issues.

Following delegation-level talks in Dhaka, both countries signed six major agreements to strengthen cooperation:

• Visa-free entry for diplomatic and official passport holders, easing official exchanges.

• MoU on a Joint Working Group on Trade, aimed at boosting commercial ties.

• MoU between the Foreign Service Academies of both countries, enhancing diplomatic training.

• MoU between the Associated Press of Pakistan and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, promoting media collaboration.

• MoU between the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad and Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, supporting joint research and policy work.

• Cultural Exchange Programme, designed to foster people-to-people connections.

The Knowledge Corridor is seen as a significant step in bringing Pakistan and Bangladesh closer, offering more opportunities for students, professionals, and institutions in both countries.