Bangladesh cancels visa requirements for Pakistani officials for first time since 1971

Holders of diplomatic and official passports from Bangladesh and Pakistan will no longer need visas to travel between the two countries, officials said.

The Advisory Council of Bangladesh's interim administration, led by Muhammad Yunus, approved a mutual visa exemption agreement, his press secretary Shafiqul Alam told a news conference in Dhaka on Thursday.

"The agreement will be for five years. Those who have diplomatic and official passports will be able to travel to Pakistan without a visa," Alam said. He noted that Bangladesh already has similar arrangements with 31 other countries.

Under the deal, Pakistani officials will also be granted visa-free entry into Bangladesh.

The development follows last month's meeting in Dhaka between Bangladeshi Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, during which the two sides said they were finalising a memorandum of understanding for visa-on-arrival for official passport holders.

Visa-free entry between the two South Asian nations was suspended after the 1971 war that led to Bangladesh's independence.

Ties between Dhaka and Islamabad have improved in recent months, particularly following the August 2024 uprising that brought down Sheikh Hasina's government.

Pakistan's Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan arrived in Dhaka late Wednesday for a four-day official visit from August 21 to 24. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral trade ties and boost economic cooperation, according to an official statement.

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Source: TRT