Trade relations between Islamabad and Dhaka are likely to improve due to positive developments on the diplomatic level between both countries. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif congratulated his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina Wajid and the Bangladeshi people on completing the Padma Bridge.

Padma Multipurpose Bridge is a two-level road-rail bridge across the Padma River, Bangladesh’s main distributary of the Ganges River. It connects Shariatpur and Madaripur, linking the country’s southwest to the northern and eastern regions. The bridge was inaugurated on 25 June 2022 and became a joyous moment for Bangladesh.

A rising trend in bilateral trade can be noticed from the statement of the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan, Rahul Alam Siddique, who said bilateral trade between Pakistan and Bangladesh has been growing rapidly. He said this milestone would be celebrated at the Bangladeshi High Commission in Islamabad and Deputy High Commission in Karachi. We hope this development will bring a healthy change in trade and political relations.

Exchanging views at a meeting during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the envoy said the current bilateral trade volume has increased to around $900 million and continues to rise at a faster pace. “Pakistan’s exports to Bangladesh have risen by 48 percent while exports from Bangladesh to Pakistan appreciated by 14 percent,” he said. He hoped that the rising trend continues for bilateral benefits in future, which would be very encouraging for the business communities of both countries.

General Secretary BMG AQ Khalil appreciated the Bangladeshi government’s wise efforts toward improving the trade and investment ties with Pakistan. He believed “Pakistan must learn from the history and experience of Bangladesh as it has become a role model for developing countries.” He said that bureaucratic hurdles were one of Pakistan’s most serious issues. Hence, he added that we must learn how Bangladesh dealt with its bureaucracy and adopt the same strategy.

Pakistan organized a single country exhibition in Dhaka in the early nineties, but no such event has been held since then. Pakistan can learn much from Bangladesh about shipbuilding, textile, footwear and many other fields. We urged both nations to immediately start the exchange of trade delegations and tapping of investment opportunities on a reciprocal basis.