Pakistan has offered Bangladesh access to the Karachi Port Trust, allowing Dhaka to expand its trade network with China and Central Asian countries.
The offer was extended during the 9th Pak-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting held in Dhaka — the first such meeting in 20 years. The session was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Ali Pervez and Bangladesh’s Finance Advisor.
The long-awaited meeting marked a milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations, signaling renewed cooperation after years of limited engagement.
According to an official statement, both countries underscored the importance of boosting collaboration between their national shipping corporations. Pakistan’s offer of Karachi Port access is expected to ease trade logistics for Bangladesh and create new avenues for commerce with neighboring and regional markets.
Expanding cooperation across multiple sectors
Beyond trade facilitation, the two nations agreed to enhance cooperation in several key areas, including:
Medical and religious tourism
Investment and industrial collaboration
Energy and climate change initiatives
Information technology and communication
The two sides also agreed to speed up efforts to initiate direct flights between Pakistan and Bangladesh, a move aimed at strengthening people-to-people and business ties.
Halal certification and quality standards MoU
In another important development, the Pakistan Halal Food Authority and the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute signed a memorandum of cooperation.
The agreement aims to facilitate collaboration in the quality assurance and certification of halal products, helping both nations tap into the growing global halal market.
Additionally, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work closely in sectors such as agriculture, education, banking, health, tourism, textile, and information and broadcasting.
The establishment of a Pak-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor was also emphasized during the talks.
Under this initiative, Pakistan proposed 500 new and fully funded scholarships for Bangladeshi students to pursue higher education in Pakistan. Moreover, the government announced an increase in training seats under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program from five to twenty-five, further boosting academic and professional exchanges.
