Pakistan, Bangladesh agree on visa-free entry for diplomats, officials

Pakistan and Bangladesh have agreed to grant visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports, as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral ties, Radio Pakistan reported.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Bangladeshi counterpart, Lieutenant General (retired) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The two sides also discussed increasing cooperation in internal security, police training, anti-narcotics, and anti-human trafficking. In addition, they explored joint counter-terrorism measures and the possibility of exchange programmes between police academies of the two nations.

Upon his arrival at the Bangladesh Home Affairs Ministry, Chowdhury welcomed Naqvi with a guard of honour. Speaking on the occasion, Chowdhury expressed the importance of Naqvi’s visit for promoting bilateral cooperation between Islamabad and Dhaka. He also thanked Naqvi for offering police training to Bangladeshi officials.

A joint committee, headed by Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, has been formed to further boost cooperation between the two countries. Chowdhury confirmed that a high-level Bangladeshi delegation would soon visit Islamabad to tour the Safe City Project and National Police Academy.

Earlier in February, Pakistan and Bangladesh resumed direct trade on an official level for the first time since the 1971 separation, with the first government-approved cargo departing from Port Qasim.

Read More: Bangladesh resumes direct trade with Pakistan for first time since 1971

This marks a historic step in bilateral trade relations, as Bangladesh agreed to purchase 50,000 tonnes of Pakistani rice through the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).

In April, Pakistan and Bangladesh resumed high-level diplomatic consultations for the first time in 15 years. Senior officials from both sides met in Dhaka to revive bilateral engagement and address regional and international matters of mutual interest.

The Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) were held at the State Guest House Padma and led by Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and her Bangladeshi counterpart, Md Jashim Uddin. The meeting marks the first formal FOC between the two countries since 2010, signalling renewed efforts to rebuild trust and cooperation.