Pakistan, Bangladesh deepen ties with pharma deals

August 25, 2025 (MLN): Pakistan’s official engagement with Bangladesh took a significant step forward when Federal Minister for Commerce Mr. Jam Kamal Khan visited Square Pharmaceuticals PLC in Dhaka.

He met the company’s Managing Director and senior management, receiving a detailed briefing on the growth of Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical sector and the policies that supported its development.

The Minister also toured the facilities to gain first-hand insights into operations. Officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, who accompanied him, shared proposals to ensure smoother trade flows between Bangladesh, Pakistan, and third-country markets.

The Minister emphasized the potential for expanding cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector through knowledge sharing, policy exchanges and joint ventures, noting that enhanced collaboration could strengthen bilateral trade and meet healthcare demands in regional and international markets.

Diplomats from both countries can now enter each other’s territory visa-free after Pakistan and Bangladesh agreed on a historic deal.

The agreement, approved by Bangladesh’s Advisory Council Committee, allows holders of diplomatic and official passports to travel without visas for five years.

This milestone is expected to strengthen diplomatic relations and ensure smoother official-level engagement.

During parallel discussions in Dhaka, Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Bangladesh’s Adviser for Industries, Adilur Rahman Khan, reached a comprehensive understanding on promoting bilateral trade and industrial development through strategic collaboration.

The Pakistani commerce minister also addressed the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, encouraging Bangladeshi traders to import cement, sugar, footwear, and leather products from Pakistan.

In another major breakthrough on the same day, Pakistan and Bangladesh agreed to revive their Joint Economic Commission (JEC) after nearly two decades, with the last meeting held in 2005.

Minister Jam Kamal Khan held discussions with Bangladesh’s Adviser for Commerce, Sk. Bashir Uddin, and Adviser for Food, Ali Imam Majumdar, facilitated by Pakistan High Commissioner Imran Haider.

The talks resulted in agreements to enhance bilateral trade, mutual investments and economic cooperation.

Both sides expressed satisfaction over the successful completion of Pakistan’s 50,000 metric tons rice delivery to Bangladesh under the January 2025 MoU, which officials confirmed would serve as a gateway for regular exchanges of delegations.

They also reported the formation of a Joint Working Group on Trade and a Joint Trade Commission to build trade relations, set targets and define strategic steps for future cooperation.

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