A significant diplomatic event unfolded as Bangladesh and Pakistan formalized a series of agreements, including a bilateral agreement and five MoUs, during the visit of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. The agreements were signed at the Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka, with Dar and Bangladesh’s Foreign Advisor Mohammad Touhid Hossain present. The primary focus of the discussions was to enhance trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. The current trade volume between Bangladesh and Pakistan, which stands at less than $1 billion annually, is targeted for substantial growth in the coming years. Bangladesh’s delegation was led by Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain, and Pakistan’s delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Key agreements include a visa waiver for holders of official and diplomatic passports. Other agreements cover the formation of a Joint Action Committee to address trade matters, cooperation between foreign service academies, collaboration between the national news agencies Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation (APPC), and an institutional partnership between the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). Moreover, a cultural exchange program was signed to boost people-to-people connections.
This visit took place as part of Dar’s two-day official visit to Dhaka, including meetings with political figures and a meeting with Mohammad Yunus. This visit occurred shortly before the end of the interim government.