In a major advancement for Pakistan-Bangladesh relations, the two nations have achieved a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral economic and development cooperation. The 9th Pak-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission meeting was held in Dhaka, marking the first such high-level economic dialogue in 20 years.
The session was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, and the Finance Advisor of Bangladesh. In a landmark offer during the meeting, Pakistan invited Bangladesh to use the Karachi Port for its trade with China and Central Asian countries.
According to the official statement, both sides agreed on several key points to deepen their relationship:
- Air and Sea Connectivity: Both countries emphasized the need to increase cooperation between their national shipping corporations and agreed to accelerate work on establishing direct flights between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- Standards and Trade: An MoU was signed between the Pakistan Halal Authority and the Bangladesh Standards & Testing Institute, paving the way for cooperation in quality standards and certification.
- Education and Skills: The establishment of a “Pakistan Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor” was stressed. Furthermore, Pakistan generously proposed 500 new, fully-funded scholarships for Bangladeshi students and increased the number of training seats from 5 to 25 under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program.
- Multi-Sectoral Cooperation: Agreements were reached to collaborate in trade, investment, energy, climate change, IT, agriculture, health, banking, and textiles. Both countries also agreed to work together to promote medical and religious tourism.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both nations signed the agreed minutes of the 9th Joint Economic Commission.
Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik expressed his gratitude for the warm hospitality, stating that Pakistan and Bangladesh share a strong relationship based on mutual respect and friendship.
