ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said the Chairman of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission will visit Bangladesh to explore twin-university partnerships and promote student and faculty exchange programmes, strengthening educational and research ties between the two countries.
He said this during a meeting with Bangladesh’s newly elected Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on Tuesday, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
He also extended an invitation to him to visit Pakistan at a mutually convenient time.
During the meeting, both leaders explored avenues to revitalise bilateral relations and enhance regional cooperation, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening ties and working together for regional peace, stability, and shared prosperity.
The Planning Minister stressed the importance of reviving SAARC to foster regional connectivity and advance a shared geo-economic vision for South Asia.
He observed that South Asia remains one of the world’s least integrated regions due to historical conflicts, emphasising that Pakistan and Bangladesh, through mutual collaboration, can help pave the way for a more connected and economically vibrant South Asia.
Ahsan Iqbal proposed the establishment of a “Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor” to enhance academic, research, and technological collaboration.
He informed the Prime Minister that the Chairman of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission would be directed to visit Bangladesh to explore twin-university agreements and facilitate student and faculty exchange programmes.
Ahsan Iqbal emphasised that youth exchange is vital for building enduring partnerships and announced enhanced academic cooperation, including scholarship opportunities.
He shared that 500 scholarships have been allocated, with 75 students already having departed for Pakistan to pursue higher education.
Both sides also discussed collaboration between institutions such as the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the National Database and Registration Authority, and their Bangladeshi counterparts to exchange expertise in data systems, digital governance, and institutional capacity building.
The Minister further highlighted opportunities for cooperation in small and medium enterprises and cottage industries, noting that by leveraging their combined populations, Pakistan and Bangladesh can secure a larger share of global markets in technology-enabled services, manufacturing, and goods production.
Expanding direct flight operations and improving connectivity were also discussed as essential measures to facilitate trade, tourism, business-to-business engagement, and people-to-people contacts.
Minister Ahsan Iqbal further proposed the revival of the Iqbal Academy and suggested joint celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal next year, as a tribute to their shared intellectual and cultural heritage.
Ahsan Iqbal is in Bangladesh to represent the Prime Minister of Pakistan at the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
President Zardari congratulates Tarique Rahman
Meanwhile, President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari congratulated Tarique Rahman on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s decisive electoral victory and on becoming Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
In a post on X, the president praised the interim government for conducting a peaceful and fair election.
He also conveyed his best wishes for Bangladesh’s stability and prosperity, expressing hope that the new government will foster stronger bilateral relations and contribute to regional peace.
President Zardari congratulates @trahmanbnp on BNP’s decisive victory & becoming PM of 🇧🇩. He appreciates the interim govt’s role in a peaceful, fair election, conveys best wishes for stability & prosperity & hopes for stronger 🇵🇰-🇧🇩 ties & regional peace. pic.twitter.com/gaMlJrSsgL
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) February 17, 2026
PM Sharif felicitates Bangladesh PM
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Tuesday, also extended his warmest felicitations to Tarique Rahman on taking oath as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
The prime minister on X account posted, “I look forward to close and meaningful engagements with my brother, to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation across mutually beneficial areas and to deepen the historic ties between our two countries.”
Warmest felicitations to @trahmanbnp on having been sworn in as the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. I look forward to close and meaningful engagements with my brother, to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation across mutually beneficial areas and to…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) February 17, 2026
Pakistan, Bangladesh share numerous affinities: Yunus
Earlier, the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, highlighted the numerous affinities between Pakistan and Bangladesh, saying they provide a strong foundation to advance mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Pakistan’s Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, in Dhaka.
Minister Iqbal congratulated Professor Yunus and the people of Bangladesh on the successful completion of the elections.
He also expressed gratitude for Yunus’s efforts in strengthening bilateral ties across trade, people-to-people contacts, and the revival of direct air connectivity.
The Minister briefed Professor Yunus on the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships under the Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor, noting that the first batch of awardees has already commenced studies at universities in Pakistan.
Professor Yunus welcomed the initiative and expressed hope that academic, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries would continue to grow in the coming years.
