BSS Photo
Source: BSS
DST News: Bangladesh and Pakistan have agreed to further enhance cooperation in a range of sectors including trade, agriculture, information technology, food, energy, pharmaceuticals, and connectivity during the 9th meeting of the Bangladesh-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) held in Dhaka on Monday.
The 9th JEC session — the first in 20 years — was seen as a milestone in revitalizing bilateral and regional economic engagement between the two South Asian nations. The meeting took place at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
The previous JEC meeting was held in 2005, and the revival of the forum was hailed by both sides as a “remarkable step forward” in bilateral economic cooperation.
Bangladesh Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed and Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik co-chaired the discussions, attended by senior officials from relevant ministries and agencies dealing with trade, commerce, agriculture, IT, aviation, and maritime affairs.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Dr Salehuddin said the talks focused on multiple areas of mutual interest such as trade, food security, agriculture, IT, aviation, and shipping — all aimed at improving the socioeconomic well-being of both nations.
“This is a very important meeting. After two decades, we have resumed our economic dialogue with Pakistan, and it has been very productive,” he said. “We discussed cooperation in agriculture, IT, food, and maritime transport — areas that hold great potential for both countries.”
He added that Bangladesh’s goal extends beyond bilateral ties. “Our vision is also regional. If South Asian countries can work together like this, everyone benefits. We’ve suggested strengthening this cooperation framework further,” he noted.
The Finance Adviser mentioned that focal points would be established in ministries such as Civil Aviation and Maritime Affairs to follow up on the agreed areas. He clarified that no specific trade targets were set during the session, as individual ministries and agencies would pursue sectoral cooperation in fields like agriculture, food processing, and IT.
Pakistani Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik commended Bangladesh for successfully organizing the meeting after such a long gap. “Holding a JEC meeting after 20 years is indeed a major development. We want to build on this momentum for the mutual benefit of our peoples,” he said.
Malik noted that both countries had reached significant convergence on several areas and would work to translate these discussions into concrete results. “Our objective is to make measurable progress before the next JEC meeting,” he added.
Addressing the trade imbalance, Malik observed that current bilateral trade stands at less than one billion dollars despite both nations’ large populations and economic complementarities. “We should work together to increase trade volumes and support each other’s development,” he said.
He further emphasized that Pakistan would continue importing from Bangladesh and explore new opportunities in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, power, and energy. “We will try to diversify beyond jute, though jute will remain an important component of our trade,” he remarked.
Malik also mentioned upcoming discussions on energy cooperation and highlighted the recent exchange of high-level visits between the two countries. “The Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan visited Bangladesh in August, and both sides have continued their engagement at the highest levels. We believe this spirit of friendship and collaboration will continue to grow,” he said.
Both nations agreed to intensify efforts to boost trade and investment, operationalize agreed areas of cooperation, and ensure tangible progress before the next JEC meeting.
The Bangladesh-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission serves as a bilateral platform aimed at promoting collaboration in trade, investment, agriculture, energy, and technology. The resumption of the JEC in 2025 reflects a renewed commitment by both countries to reinforce economic and regional partnerships.
