![The Pakistan-Bangladesh Education Scholarship aims to strengthen ties through education, offering 300 scholarships at top universities. [Representational Image via Propakistani]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/pakistan-bangladesh-.jpg-qylqbi2yvpdujc5dan5mrfjo9o0a2tkpe78n2iyj60.webp "pakistan-bangladesh-.jpg")
In a significant step towards developing stronger ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Pakistani government has unveiled a strategic initiative—the Pakistan-Bangladesh Friendship Scholarship Programme in December 2024. To strengthen academic and cultural connections, this programme offers 300 scholarships across various disciplines at some of Pakistan’s most prestigious universities. The initiative, spearheaded by Pakistan’s Ministry of Education, is not only a gesture of goodwill but also a reflection of the growing diplomatic and economic cooperation between the two South Asian neighbours.
Educational Diplomacy: A Path to Cooperation
The scholarships, covering a wide array of fields from engineering and medicine to social sciences and humanities, are being provided by a consortium of leading universities, including the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Aga Khan University, and the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST). This ambitious programme offers an opportunity for Bangladeshi students to pursue higher education at renowned institutions, alleviating financial burdens by covering tuition fees, living expenses, and other essential costs.
As highlighted by Secretary of Education Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, the Pakistan-Bangladesh Friendship Scholarship Programme is a vital tool of educational diplomacy, aimed at building long-lasting partnerships between the two nations.
“This is not just about providing education, but about promoting harmony and shared development in the region,” Wani remarked. The initiative is also supported by educational expos, seminars, and roadshows in Bangladesh, designed to raise awareness and facilitate easy access to these scholarships through an online portal.
Also See: Bangladesh’s Evolving Foreign Relations in South Asia
A Geopolitical Shift: Timing of the Scholarship Announcement
The timing of the Pakistan-Bangladesh Scholarship Programme is significant, given the evolving geopolitical landscape in South Asia. As tensions between India and Bangladesh rise, Bangladesh is recalibrating its foreign relations. This scholarship initiative arrives at a moment when both Pakistan and Bangladesh are working to strengthen bilateral ties, with Bangladesh seeking to diversify its international partnerships.
Under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule, Bangladesh saw widespread human rights abuses, including mass detention and extrajudicial killings of political opponents. However, relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh have improved under the interim government of Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Following the fall of Hasina’s government amid protests, Pakistan expressed solidarity with the people of Bangladesh through a statement on August 7.
The change in leadership in Dhaka is viewed as an opportunity for Pakistan to re-engage with this key South Asian nation. The signals from recent events reinforce this shift. In September, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, at the United Nations General Assembly. They discussed opening a “new page” in bilateral relations, focusing on enhanced cooperation across various sectors. PM Sharif also extended an invitation to Yunus to visit Pakistan, underscoring the importance of regional cooperation and dialogue.
New Maritime and Trade Opportunities
In addition, November 2024 marked a significant milestone with the arrival of a cargo ship from Karachi at the port of Chittagong, establishing the first-ever direct maritime connection between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
This development is seen as a crucial step toward strengthening trade relations. Pakistani traders were further encouraged when they received orders for the export of large quantities of sugar, rice, and potatoes to Bangladesh. Notably, this marks the first time in decades that Pakistan will export 25,000 tonnes of sugar to the riverine country.
The momentum of this shift continued as the Consul General of Bangladesh met with Pakistani traders last week, offering assurances for streamlined visa processing and extending a formal invitation to the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF), scheduled for January 2025.
“Things have changed 180 degrees [since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s regime],” said Zubair Motiwala, a prominent industrialist and Chairman of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), who recently held a one-on-one meeting with Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi, S. M. Mahbubul Alam. “It was incredibly difficult for our traders and businessmen to even secure a visa for Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina’s government… But with the changing landscape, we are now eager to capitalize on the emerging opportunities. The Dhaka Trade Fair could mark the beginning of this new chapter.”
Cross-Cultural Exchange and Regional Harmony
The scholarship programme, though primarily academic, is deeply intertwined with this broader context of strengthening bilateral relations.
With Bangladesh exploring new trade partnerships and seeking closer cooperation with Pakistan, educational diplomacy serves as a natural complement to this emerging strategic alignment.
Moreover, the scholarship programme’s emphasis on cross-cultural exchange is crucial. By nurturing academic collaborations, students from both nations will not only gain technical expertise but also cultivate mutual understanding, which is vital for peace and stability in the region. In a world where geopolitical tensions often cloud diplomatic relations, initiatives like the Pakistan-Bangladesh Friendship Scholarship Programme provide a refreshing opportunity to build goodwill through education—a shared value that transcends political differences.
Earlier, in November, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has awarded 200 scholarships to Sri Lankan students under the Allama Mohammad Iqbal Scholarship Programme. Currently, 500 Sri Lankan students are already studying in Pakistani universities. In addition, Pakistan offers scholarships to 4,500 Afghan students for capacity building in fields like Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, Management, and Computer Science. This initiative aims to strengthen Pakistan-Afghanistan relations and foster people-to-people connections. The scholarships cover living allowances, book expenses, hostel dues, and university tuition fees.
Cautious Optimism: The Road Ahead
The Pakistan-Bangladesh Friendship Scholarship Programme is undoubtedly a diplomatic gesture aimed at mending relations between the two nations, which have historically been complex.
However, there are several uncertainties surrounding the future of this relationship. A key question is whether Bangladesh, under the leadership of Yunus, can establish a friendly rapport with Pakistan while distancing itself from its longstanding ties with India. This is particularly crucial because Bangladesh has been closely aligned with India for decades, and shifting this alignment could provoke India’s response. India might view this potential shift with apprehension, considering its deep political, economic, and strategic investments in Bangladesh. India’s tolerance of this change will likely depend on how much influence Bangladesh continues to maintain in regional affairs and whether this shift threatens India’s interests.
Moreover, Bangladesh’s political landscape remains fragile, with the interim government of Yunus not yet having fully consolidated control over the country. This power vacuum presents an opportunity for extremist groups such as al-Qaeda, ISIS, and their affiliates to exploit the situation. The assassination of the Acting Minister for Refugees, Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani by an ISIS affiliate in the Khorasan Province (ISKP), and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria by Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) highlight the transnational nature of the threat these groups pose, indicating a wider regional instability.
On the domestic front, the Awami League, despite being marginalized, still holds significant influence within key institutions such as the judiciary, bureaucracy, civil society, academia, and even the military. Yunus may want to forge stronger ties with Pakistan, but his ability to do so is constrained by these entrenched political structures.
The historical complexities between Pakistan and Bangladesh, especially regarding the 1971 war, also remain a challenge. December 16, while celebrated as a day of liberation in Bangladesh, is viewed by Pakistan as the “fall of Dhaka,” symbolizing the painful division of the two countries. Ultimately, the answers to these questions will define the trajectory of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations in the coming years.
