President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said he would like to visit Pakistan at the earliest opportunity in response to an invitation from Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, during a courtesy call by Pakistan’s high commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider.
The president welcomed Haider and thanked Zardari for a congratulatory message on his taking office.
Recalling shared history, common faith and cultural and familial ties between the two peoples, the president said these provided a robust foundation for deeper cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
Talks focused on the positive momentum in bilateral relations and cooperation across health, science and technology, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, with Fakhrul expressing satisfaction. Pharmaceuticals, ceramics and agriculture were also discussed.
The Pakistan high commissioner thanked the president for receiving him and briefed him on ongoing initiatives. He noted that medical tourism from Bangladesh to Pakistan was rising, with Pakistani health professionals training Bangladeshi counterparts in organ transplants to build domestic capacity and reduce treatment costs for Bangladeshi patients.
Around 200 Bangladeshi students have been enrolled at top-ranked Pakistani universities under the Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor, while training courses are being organised for Bangladeshi civil servants, the high commissioner said.
On direct air links, Haider highlighted growing demand for increased flight frequencies and additional routes. Fakhrul said enhanced connectivity was crucial for business, cultural and people-to-people contacts.
The Pakistani envoy said there was huge untapped potential for bilateral cooperation that could be realised through concerted efforts by both sides and reaffirmed the Pakistani leadership’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Bangladesh across all areas of mutual interest.
The two sides agreed to build on the existing momentum and further strengthen bilateral ties through closer, sustained engagement.