Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider on Sunday paid a courtesy call on President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, with discussions focusing on the positive momentum in bilateral relations and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.
The president welcomed the high commissioner and thanked Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari for his felicitation message on his assumption of office.
In response to an invitation from the Pakistani president to visit Pakistan, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said he would like to undertake the visit at the earliest convenience.
Recalling the shared history, common faith, and cultural and familial ties between the peoples of Pakistan and Bangladesh, the president said these associations provide a strong foundation for enhancing mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
He expressed satisfaction over the upward trajectory of cooperation in areas including healthcare, science and technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in pharmaceuticals, ceramics and agriculture.
The high commissioner thanked the president for receiving him and briefed him on various ongoing initiatives.
He said medical tourism from Bangladesh to Pakistan was increasing and Pakistani health professionals were training their Bangladeshi counterparts in organ transplantation to develop domestic capacity and reduce treatment costs for Bangladeshi patients.
Under the Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor, around 200 Bangladeshi students have enrolled in top-ranking Pakistani universities, while training courses are also being organised for Bangladeshi civil servants.
On direct air connectivity, Haider highlighted the growing demand for increased flight frequencies and the opening of additional routes.
The president observed that enhanced connectivity was crucial to increasing business, cultural and people-to-people contacts.
Haider said there was huge untapped potential for bilateral cooperation that could be realised through concerted efforts by both sides.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Pakistani leadership 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 and sustained engagement.
