Pakistan and Bangladesh agree to visa-free travel for diplomats, officials

Pakistan and Bangladesh have agreed to an agreement to allow visa-free entry for people with diplomatic and official passports. The decision was announced on Wednesday after a high-level meeting in Dhaka between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh’s Home Minister Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

According to Pakistan’s interior ministry, the two countries reached a mutual understanding to remove visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders.

"A significant breakthrough was achieved on the facilitation of visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports, and both countries reached a principled agreement on this matter," the ministry said in a statement. Although no date has been given for when the visa-free system will begin.

In the meeting, officials also discussed issues like counterterrorism, internal security, police training, drug control, and efforts to combat human trafficking. A joint committee will be created to manage and coordinate new plans. Pakistan’s Interior Secretary Khurram Agha will lead the team from Islamabad.

Both countries agreed to start exchange programs for police academies. A delegation from Bangladesh is expected to visit Pakistan’s Police Academy in Islamabad soon.

Bangladesh’s Home Minister welcomed Naqvi with a guard of honour and described the visit as important for future cooperation. "Your visit is of great significance for strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries," he said, according to the Pakistani statement.

FRESH START FOR BANGLADESH-PAKISTAN RELATIONS

Ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have long been shaped by painful memories of the 1971 war, which led to Bangladesh’s independence. For many years, relations remained cold, marked by mistrust and few high-level exchanges. Bangladesh maintained closer ties with India, its wartime ally and strong economic partner, while Pakistan struggled to rebuild the relationship.

For decades, the relationship between Pakistan and Bangladesh has been defined by the scars of the 1971 war — a conflict that led to the birth of Bangladesh. While Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation with India’s strong support during the war, ties with Pakistan remained tense and distant. High-level meetings were rare, and mistrust lingered. In the years that followed, Dhaka maintained closer ties with India -- its wartime ally and key economic partner -- while Pakistan struggled to rebuild the relationship.

However, the circumstances changed after the fall of Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. She later fled to India, and since then, Dhaka’s ties with New Delhi have deteriorated due to political tensions and border issues.

This change has opened the door for a fresh start between Islamabad and Dhaka. The last major Pakistani visit to Bangladesh took place earlier this year when Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch visited Dhaka to push for stronger regional ties.

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With inputs from PTI