In a significant diplomatic development, Pakistan and Bangladesh have reached a principled agreement to allow visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports.
The move signals renewed efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two South Asian nations.
The agreement was reached during a high-level meeting in Dhaka between Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh’s Home Minister Lieutenant General (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. Upon arrival at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Naqvi was welcomed with a guard of honor.
During talks, both sides discussed a broad range of issues, including internal security, police training, counterterrorism cooperation, anti-narcotics efforts, and measures to combat human trafficking.
The ministers agreed to strengthen collaboration in these areas and to initiate exchange programs between police academies of both countries.
Welcoming his counterpart, Home Minister Chowdhury said, “I extend a heartfelt welcome to my brother Mohsin Naqvi. Your visit carries great significance for enhancing relations between our countries.”
He also thanked Pakistan for offering police training opportunities to Bangladeshi officers.
It was also decided to form a joint committee to oversee bilateral cooperation initiatives. On Pakistan’s side, Federal Interior Secretary Khurram Agha will lead the committee. A high-level Bangladeshi delegation is expected to visit the National Police Academy in Islamabad in the near future.
This bilateral engagement comes as both countries recently resumed foreign secretary-level talks after a 15-year hiatus -- a significant signal of thawing relations.
These landmark talks, held at Dhaka’s State Guesthouse Jamuna, saw Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Md Jasim Uddin host his Pakistani counterpart Amna Baloch, in what observers have called a promising reset in diplomatic relations.
Pakistan has taken the lead in reopening bilateral dialogue following years of stagnation, while Bangladesh has shown openness to engaging, particularly on trade, defense, and regional cooperation.
Recent high-level interactions have set the stage for this revival, including meetings between Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the D-8 Summit in Cairo (December 2024) and the UN General Assembly in New York (September 2024).
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