DHAKA: Pakistan and Bangladesh on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation against drug trafficking, narcotics abuse, and transnational crime during a high-level meeting between the interior ministers of the two countries in Dhaka.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Bangladeshi Interior Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, where both sides agreed to establish a secretary-level joint working group between their interior ministries to coordinate efforts against the illegal movement, sale, and supply of narcotics.
Under the agreement, Islamabad and Dhaka will enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms to curb drug smuggling networks and jointly develop strategies to dismantle narcotics supply chains operating across borders.
The two countries also pledged closer cooperation to address the growing problem of drug abuse and its social consequences.
The MoU was signed by Mohsin Naqvi on behalf of Pakistan and Salahuddin Ahmed representing Bangladesh.
Officials said the agreement also covers cooperation in personnel training, exchange of best practices, and the use of modern technology to improve anti-narcotics operations.
During the meeting, Naqvi offered Pakistan’s support for Bangladesh’s Safe City Project, assuring technical and institutional assistance.
Both sides discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in internal security, civil armed forces training, counterterrorism, cybercrime prevention, organised crime investigations, and efforts to combat human smuggling and financial fraud.
The ministers also exchanged views on joint counterterrorism initiatives and explored enhanced collaboration between police academies, including specialised officer training programmes.
Naqvi invited his Bangladeshi counterpart to visit Pakistan, while Salahuddin Ahmed thanked Islamabad for offering support on the Safe City initiative.
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, Cabinet Secretary Naseem Al Ghani, Home Secretary Manzoor Chaudhry, and Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider also attended the meeting.
The development reflects improving ties between Islamabad and Dhaka following the political changes in Bangladesh in 2024 after the removal of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Since then, the two countries have expanded economic and diplomatic engagement, including the resumption of sea trade last year and increased government-to-government commerce earlier this year. In January, a Bangladeshi commercial aircraft landed in Karachi for the first regular direct flight between the two countries since 2012.