ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has launched the second phase of an education initiative that offers hundreds of scholarships for Bangladeshi students for higher studies, the Pakistani information ministry said on Monday.
The ‘Pakistan–Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor’ initiative was announced during the visit of Pakistani Foreign Ishaq Dar to Bangladesh in August 2025, where he announced 500 scholarships for Bangladeshi students. The first batch of Bangladeshi students who were awarded the scholarships arrived in Pakistan in February.
Pakistan and Bangladesh have moved closer since 2024, following the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina who was considered an India ally. Both were part of the same country until Bangladesh seceded following a bloody civil war in 1971, an event that had long cast a shadow over bilateral ties.
The second phase of the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships under Pakistan–Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor was launched with the inauguration of the Pakistan Education Expo 2026 at a local hotel in Dhaka on Monday, according to the Pakistani information ministry.
“Organized by the Pakistan High Commission Bangladesh in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, the Expo brought together representatives of 20 leading Pakistani universities and institutions to showcase scholarship opportunities and higher education opportunities for students from Bangladesh,” the ministry said.
The expo was inaugurated by Bangladesh Education Minister Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon and was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Education, Vice Chancellors and Principals of leading universities and colleges, representatives of Pakistani universities, journalists and students.
“Pakistan–Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor would open new avenues for educational and research cooperation between the two countries and further strengthen bilateral academic relations,” Milon was quoted as saying.
In his remarks, Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Haider described the initiative as a “landmark step toward building enduring academic and institutional linkages between Pakistan and Bangladesh.”
“Bangladeshi students have already commenced studies at prominent Pakistani universities under the first phase,” he said, expressing confidence that enhanced educational exchanges would further strengthen bilateral relations and people-to-people ties between both countries.
The initiative seeks to boost collaboration in education, research, and innovation as the two countries slowly move forward from a bitter past to improved political relations, according to the Pakistani information ministry. Similar education expos will also be organized in Barishal, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Chittagong, and Rangpur to facilitate greater outreach to students across Bangladesh.
Islamabad and Dhaka have also attempted to translate their improved relations into greater economic collaboration.
In February, national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines landed in the Pakistani port city of Karachi for the first regular flight between the two nations since 2012. The two nations also began sea trade in late 2024, which was followed by efforts to expand government-to-government commerce.
