ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Bangladesh on Wednesday agreed in principle to grant visa-free entry to holders of diplomatic and official passports, along with a pledge to stronger security cooperation.
The two countries were once one nation but split following a bloody civil war, which saw the territory previously referred to as ‘East Pakistan’ seceding to form the independent nation of Bangladesh. In the years since the split between Pakistan and Bangladesh, Dhaka’s leaders — especially the ousted regime of Sheikh Hasina — stayed firmly in the Indian camp, preferring to maintain close ties with New Delhi and keeping Islamabad at arm’s length.
However, ever since a popular uprising that saw Hasina’s government toppled in August of last year, with the deposed premier fleeing to her old ally India, there has been a thaw in ties between the two capitals, with trade and bilateral relations seeing a marked improvement.
In May, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Iqbal Hussain Khan said that the visa regime between Pakistan and Bangladesh was being eased for the business community to foster economic growth in the region.
Today’s development came during a visit of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to Bangladesh, where he met Home Minister retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury in Dhaka.
Naqvi was presented with a guard of honour before the two sides began discussions.
During the meeting, the two ministers held wide-ranging talks on bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest, with a particular focus on strengthening cooperation in internal security and law enforcement.
“Significant progress on visa-free entry for diplomatic and official passports during the meeting. Pakistan and Bangladesh make a principled decision to provide visa-free entry facility for diplomatic and official passports,” said a statement from the interior ministry.
Both sides expressed a strong desire to deepen collaboration in key areas, including counter-terrorism, combatting drug trafficking and preventing human smuggling.
The ministers also discussed plans to exchange training programmes between police academies, aiming to improve professional capacity and technical expertise.
Chowdhury thanked Naqvi for offering support in police training and described the visit as an “important milestone” in advancing ties between the two countries.
“I wholeheartedly welcome my brother upon his arrival in Dhaka. Your visit is of great importance for the promotion of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations,” he said.
To follow up on the decisions taken during the meeting, both sides agreed to form a joint committee with Interior Secretary Khurram Agha leading the Pakistani side in this coordination effort.
The committee will oversee implementation of the agreed initiatives and explore further avenues for cooperation.
As part of the growing partnership, a high-level delegation from Bangladesh is expected to visit Islamabad soon to study the Safe City Project and tour the National Police Academy.
