DHAKA, Bangladesh: Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider has expressed hope that flights between the two friendly nations will start in January. He said this during a meeting with Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka.
Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh are improving following the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the aftermath of student-led protests last year, and she has since been residing in India.
“During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, and aviation, as well as scaling up cultural, educational, and medical exchanges to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two South Asian nations,” said a statement on X issued by Bangladesh’s leader.
Pakistan High Commissioner Calls on Chief Adviser
DHAKA, December 28: High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, on Sunday paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House in Dhaka.
During the meeting, both sides discussed… pic.twitter.com/mamTlGfya6
— Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh (@ChiefAdviserGoB) December 28, 2025
The Pakistani High Commissioner noted that bilateral trade has recorded a 20 percent growth compared to last year, with business communities from both countries actively exploring new investment opportunities.
He also highlighted a significant increase in cultural exchanges, adding that Bangladeshi students have shown strong interest in higher education opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in medical sciences, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence.
He further said that Pakistan has witnessed a rise in patients traveling to its leading hospitals for liver and kidney transplants, and noted that Pakistan is ready to offer training and academic opportunities in transplantation-related medical fields.
The statement added that Bangladesh’s interim leader welcomed the “growing interactions between the two countries” and emphasised the “importance of increased visits, as well as cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges among SAARC member states.”
“Professor Yunus also underscored the need to further boost Bangladesh–Pakistan trade,” added the statement.
High Commissioner Mr. Imran Haider paid a courtesy call on Hon’ble Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today. The Chief Adviser formally welcomed the High Commissioner to Bangladesh.
1/5 pic.twitter.com/Xjhw211Is3— Pakistan High Commission Bangladesh (@PakinBangladesh) December 28, 2025
In August, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with Professor Yunus during his landmark visit to Dhaka. Both countries emphasised the importance of revitalising regional cooperation through the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
The Foreign Office (FO) described Dar’s two-day visit—the first by a Pakistani foreign minister to Bangladesh in 13 years—as a “significant milestone” in bilateral relations.
Earlier, Pakistan and Bangladesh had agreed to grant visa-free entry to holders of diplomatic and official passports from each country, following Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Dhaka the previous month.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain earlier this month said the country could join a regional grouping with Pakistan that does not include India, signalling a potential geopolitical shift in South Asia.
“It is possible for us [Bangladesh] strategically … [but] it is not possible for Nepal or Bhutan to form a grouping with Pakistan excluding India,” reported state-owned news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), quoting Hossain while responding to a question.
