Pakistan, BD call for increasing bilateral cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Bangladesh have called for increasing cooperation in the areas of trade, economy, culture, health, education and people-to-people linkages for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

This was discussed during a meeting between Acting President Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan Iqbal Hussain Khan, who called on him, at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday.

During the meeting, it was emphasized to improve air linkages and shipping connections between Pakistan and Bangladesh to enhance bilateral trade as well as increase in people-to-people linkages.

Welcoming the High Commissioner, President Gilani said that there was great potential to enhance education, health, agriculture and cultural cooperation between the two brotherly countries. He called for making efforts to further increase people-to-people and cultural exchanges to bring the two countries closer. He expressed satisfaction that an MoU on the supply of white rice from Pakistan to Bangladesh had been signed, which would help increase bilateral trade.

The president said that Pakistan greatly valued its relations with Bangladesh, which were based on common faith, shared history and cultural similarities. He remarked that the Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh, Professor Muhammad Yunus, was widely respected in Pakistan for his path-breaking work in the field of micro-finance and social development.

The high commissioner of Bangladesh highlighted the potential for increasing relations in the area of health tourism. He informed that Bangladeshi students were also interested in getting higher education from Pakistani universities.

The president assured the high commissioner of his support and cooperation in further improving bilateral ties in all areas of mutual interest between the two brotherly countries.