Bangladesh's interim government has eased the visa process for Pakistani citizens to strengthen trade and economic ties.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Iqbal Hussain told the business community at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday that the present government has removed the requirement of approval from Dhaka for heads of Pakistani missions while issuing visas.

Emphasis on business

• According to Dawn News, Hussain said the priority would be to increase trade and investment between the two countries. Hussain said the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus was keen to improve relations with Pakistan, which have not happened in the last decade.
• He said Bangladesh, with a population of 180 million, is an important consumer market which Pakistan has the potential to tap.
• Hussain said the trade potential between the two countries is largely untapped and Pakistan can take advantage of it. He also mentioned the efforts of the chief adviser for regional cooperation and called for greater cooperation among South Asian countries.

Attempts to revive SAARC

He emphasised the importance of reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to enhance regional trade and cooperation. He said that despite growing regional cooperation globally, South Asia still faces challenges that require collective efforts to address them.

The High Commissioner said that it is the responsibility of both countries to create opportunities for the current generation and remove obstacles to mutual trade and cooperation.

Emphasis on international cooperation

Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said it underlined the importance of international cooperation. Hussain said it is essential to recognise that nations must cooperate in times of crisis to keep business running smoothly.

Sharing the data, LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad informed that two-way trade between Pakistan and Bangladesh stood at US$718 million during the financial year 2023-24.