Bangladesh and Pakistan restore visa-free travel for officials

Anadolu Agency

Bangladesh and Pakistan have agreed to allow visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and official passports, marking a major step in restoring relations after decades of restrictions.

Bangladesh’s interim administration, led by Muhammad Yunus, has approved a five-year visa exemption agreement with Pakistan that applies to diplomatic and official passport holders.

The move, announced by press secretary Shafiqul Alam, will allow officials from both countries to travel without visas. Bangladesh already maintains similar agreements with 31 other nations.

The decision comes after recent high-level meetings in Dhaka, where Bangladeshi and Pakistani officials discussed easing travel restrictions, including visa-on-arrival arrangements.

Visa-free entry between the two nations had been suspended since the 1971 war, but ties have warmed since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024.

Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan is currently in Dhaka on a four-day visit to further strengthen trade and economic cooperation.

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