 |
| Bilateral Ties with Major Economic and Development Agreements / Photo File (Geo News) |
In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Pakistan and Bangladesh have achieved major progress in strengthening bilateral economic and development cooperation. After two decades, the ninth Pakistan-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting was held in Dhaka, co-chaired by Pakistan’s Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik and Bangladesh’s Finance Adviser.
According to the joint declaration, Pakistan offered Bangladesh access to the Karachi Port for trade with China and Central Asian countries, aiming to boost regional connectivity. Both sides also emphasized enhancing cooperation between their national shipping corporations and agreed to expedite efforts to launch direct flights between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Pakistan Halal Authority and the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute, paving the way for mutual collaboration in quality assurance and certification. Pakistan also proposed establishing a Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor and announced 500 fully funded scholarships for Bangladeshi students. Additionally, the number of training slots under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program was increased from 5 to 25.
The JEC further agreed to expand cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, investment, industry, energy, climate change, and information technology, as well as agriculture, communication, education, banking, health, tourism, media, and textiles. Both sides also expressed interest in enhancing collaboration in medical and religious tourism.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both nations signed the agreed minutes of the ninth JEC session, reaffirming their commitment to deepening bilateral relations.
Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik thanked Bangladesh for its hospitality, stating that the relationship between Pakistan and Bangladesh is “based on mutual respect and friendship.”
Post a Comment