Bangladesh and Pakistan agreed to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation across key sectors including trade, agriculture, information technology, food, energy and connectivity, following the 9th Joint Economic Commission meeting held in Dhaka on Monday, the first in two decades.
Finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed led the Bangladesh delegation, while the Pakistani side was headed by petroleum minister Ali Pervaiz Malik.
The last JEC meeting between the two countries took place in 2005.
Describing the Dhaka meeting as ‘remarkable and successful’, Salehuddin said the discussions focused on areas that would benefit the people of both nations.
‘Our cooperation should not be limited to bilateral issues only; we should also move toward regional cooperation. If countries in South Asia can collaborate in this way, it will be better for everyone,’ he said.
The Adviser said the meeting addressed a wide range of issues, including trade, commerce, agriculture, IT and food security.
He said focal points would be designated in relevant ministries, including Civil Aviation and Maritime Affairs, to follow up on aviation, shipping, and logistics cooperation.
Responding to a question about the potential target of reaching a three-billion-dollar trade volume, Salehuddin said it was too early to specify any figure.
‘These are mainly MoUs that have been signed, and the respective ministries will now take them forward,’ he said.
Pakistani petroleum minister Ali Pervaiz Malik expressed appreciation for Bangladesh’s hospitality and said holding the JEC meeting after 20 years was ‘significant’.
‘We want to build on this positive momentum for the mutual benefit of both countries,’ he said, adding that Pakistan would explore new cooperation areas in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, power and energy.
He said the current trade volume between the two countries is below one billion dollars, which should increase given their complementary economies. ‘We have identified various areas of cooperation, and by the next meeting, we hope to show measurable progress,’ Malik said.
Both sides expressed optimism that the revived JEC platform would help unlock new opportunities and deepen bilateral and regional economic ties in the coming years.