ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has announced 500 fully funded scholarships for Bangladesh students, offering opportunities to pursue higher education at leading universities in Pakistan.
According to details, the two South Asian states reached a landmark agreement in the education sector, allowing Bangladeshi students to pursue higher studies in Pakistan under a government-sponsored scholarship programme.
In the first phase, 500 Bangladeshi students will be admitted to universities across Pakistan, where they will receive fully funded scholarships for undergraduate programmes in multiple cities.
The selection process attracted a large number of applicants, with entrance examinations conducted by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Chittagong, Dhaka, and Rajshahi.
The initiative has been named the Allama Iqbal Scholarship in tribute to the renowned poet and philosopher, symbolising the strengthening of educational and cultural ties between the two nations.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh and Pakistan are set to resume direct flights after more than a decade, according to Dhaka’s national airline, reflecting improving bilateral relations and shifting regional dynamics.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to operate its first Dhaka–Karachi flight on January 29, with services scheduled twice a week, marking the resumption of regular flights between the two cities for the first time since 2012.
Pakistan and Bangladesh are experiencing a rapid warming of relations, marked by increased defence, economic, and diplomatic engagement since late 2024, driven by political shifts in Bangladesh.
High-level visits, including Pakistani Deputy PM Dar’s visit to Dhaka, and increased dialogue signal a new era of partnership, with both nations seeking stronger security cooperation.
In June 2025, a seven-member delegation from Bangladeshi universities visited Pakistan to deepen academic and scientific cooperation between the two countries.
