Pakistan and Bangladesh agree to boost ties

(MENAFN) Pakistan and Bangladesh agree to boost ties — RT World News
Pakistan and Bangladesh Sign New Agreements to Revive Bilateral Relations
Pakistan, Bangladesh consent enhancing relations

Pakistan and Bangladesh have signed six cooperation agreements aimed at revitalizing ties between the two South Asian neighbors, marking the most significant engagement in over a decade.

The deals, signed Sunday during Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar’s visit to Dhaka, include visa-free travel for diplomats and government officials, as well as initiatives to expand cooperation in trade, education, media, cultural exchange, and strategic studies. The visit was the first high-level trip from Islamabad to Dhaka in more than ten years.

Relations between the two countries have long been strained, largely due to Bangladesh’s trials linked to its 1971 war of independence from Pakistan and Dhaka’s historically close ties with India under former President Sheikh Hasina. Trade and diplomatic activity has remained limited, with bilateral commerce valued at under $1 billion annually.

The agreements also provide for a joint working group on trade, partnerships between foreign service academies, and cooperation between national news agencies and strategic research institutes. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to building a “multifaceted and historic” relationship based on “mutual respect, understanding and cooperation.”

Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain called Pakistan an important neighbor and announced plans to begin direct flights between the two countries. Two Pakistani airlines have received preliminary approval to operate the routes, though they will need to avoid Indian airspace due to the ongoing flight ban between India and Pakistan.

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