Pakistan, Bangladesh sign six agreements to boost trade, diplomacy, cultural ties

Dhaka [Bangladesh], August 24 : Pakistan and Bangladesh on Sunday signed six key "instruments" to institutionalise and strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two nations across trade, economics, diplomatic training, academic exchanges, media, and culture.

Following delegation-level talks in Dhaka, the signing of the agreements was overseen by Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Bangladesh's Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain.

Dar is currently on a two-day visit to the country. The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) called the visit a "significant milestone" in bilateral ties between the two nations, as it was the first time in 13 years that a Pakistani Foreign Minister visited Bangladesh.

According to a statement by the Spokesperson of Pakistan's MFA, Shafqat Ali Khan, on X, the signed documents include an Agreement on Visa Abolition for Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders, an MoU on establishing a Joint Working Group on Trade, an MoU between the Foreign Service Academies of Pakistan and Bangladesh, an MoU between the Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, an MoU between the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad and Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, and a Cultural Exchange Programme.

"Following delegation level talks in Dhaka today, the DPM/FM @MIshaqDar50 and Foreign Adviser of Bangladesh oversaw signing of six instruments between Pakistan and Bangladesh," Shafqat Ali Khan stated in the post.

"These Agreements will institutionalise and further strengthen the bilateral cooperation in trade and economics, training of diplomats, academic exchanges, media cooperation and cultural exchanges," it added.

Coinciding with Dar's visit from August 23 to August 24, Pakistan also announced the launch of the "Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor", a project aimed at fostering educational ties between the two nations which granted 500 scholarships to Bangladeshi students for higher studies in Pakistan over the next five years, with a quarter allocated to the field of medicine.

The announcement was made by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X.

"Pakistan is pleased to launch "Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor." The project envisages grant of 500 scholarships to Bangladeshi students for pursuing higher studies in Pakistan during the next five years. A quarter of these scholarships will be awarded in the field of medicine. Additionally, trainings for 100 Bangladeshi civil servants will be arranged during the same period. Pakistan has also decided to increase the scholarships allocated to Bangladeshi students under Pakistan Technical Assistance Program from 5 to 25," the post read.

Earlier on Saturday, Dar arrived in Bangladesh at the invitation of the Bangladeshi government, as per a statement issued by Pakistan's MFA.

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