Islamabad: In a notable development aimed at improving bilateral relations, Pakistan and Bangladesh have agreed in principle to grant visa-free entry to holders of diplomatic and official passports.
The agreement came during a high-level meeting in Dhaka between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh’s Home Minister Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. Naqvi, who also serves as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is currently visiting Bangladesh to attend the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) conference.
Taking advantage of the trip, both sides held discussions on the sidelines to further efforts in normalizing and strengthening ties. The move reflects growing engagement between Islamabad and Dhaka, particularly since the August 2023 departure of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, which had governed for 15 years.
Since the political shift in Bangladesh, Pakistan has seen a marked improvement in diplomatic exchanges. Restrictions that previously targeted Pakistani diplomats—such as increased surveillance and non-tariff barriers on exports—have been eased under the current interim Bangladeshi administration.
The Interior Ministry of Pakistan issued a statement confirming the significance of the meeting. Minister Naqvi received a warm welcome, including a guard of honor at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs. Minister Chowdhury described the visit as “highly important for building stronger bilateral ties” and appreciated Pakistan’s offer to train Bangladeshi police personnel.
The talks led to mutual agreement on deepening cooperation in areas such as internal security, counter-narcotics, police training, counterterrorism, and anti-human trafficking efforts. Both countries also explored the idea of exchange programs between their police academies.
To facilitate continued collaboration, the two sides agreed to form a joint committee, which will be headed by Pakistan’s Federal Secretary for Interior, Khurram Agha. Additionally, a high-level Bangladeshi delegation is expected to visit the National Police Academy in Islamabad in the near future.
The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Bangladesh’s State Minister for Home Affairs Khuda Bakhsh, Secretary for Home Affairs Nasim Al-Ghani, and Additional Secretary for Security Division Shamim Khan. From the Pakistani side, Charge d’Affaires Muhammad Wasif, Political Counsellor Kamran Dehingal, and other senior officials were also present.
