Holders of diplomatic and official passports from Bangladesh and Pakistan will now enjoy visa-free entry, following a landmark agreement approved by Dhaka’s interim administration under Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. The five-year deal, announced Thursday, was confirmed by Yunus’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, who said it aligns with similar arrangements Bangladesh has with 31 other countries.
The development marks a major step in improving ties between the two South Asian neighbours, who suspended such privileges after the 1971 war. Officials said the decision follows last month’s meeting in Dhaka between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladeshi Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, where both sides discussed visa-on-arrival for official passport holders.
Trade, Energy Cooperation in Focus
The diplomatic breakthrough comes as Pakistan Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan visits Bangladesh on a four-day official trip (August 21–24, 2025) aimed at revitalising trade and broadening economic cooperation. He was received in Dhaka by Bangladesh’s Adviser for Commerce Sk. Bashir Uddin and Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Haider.
Jam Kamal Khan’s visit carries symbolic weight, arriving at a time when Bangladesh recalibrates foreign relations after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina last year. His meetings with senior Bangladeshi officials and business leaders are expected to focus on textiles, agriculture, technology, energy, and aviation. By the conclusion, a joint statement reaffirming a forward-looking economic partnership is anticipated.
Meanwhile, in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik met Bangladeshi High Commissioner Md. Iqbal Hussain to discuss collaboration in coal, limestone, and petroleum. Both sides underlined shared goals of energy security, mutual trade, and joint ventures in resource exploration.
Together, these developments signal a reset in Dhaka-Islamabad ties, bridging historical divides with practical cooperation in diplomacy, trade, and energy.
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