Diplomatic Desk: The second phase of the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships under Pakistan–Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor was launched with the inauguration of the Pakistan Education Expo 2026 at a local hotel in Dhaka today.Organized by the Pakistan High Commission Bangladesh in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, the Expo brought together representatives of 20 leading Pakistani universities and institutions to showcase scholarship opportunities and higher education opportunities for students from Bangladesh.

The Pakistan–Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor was initiated following the visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar to Bangladesh in August 2025, during which he announced 500 scholarships for Bangladeshi students.

The initiative reflects the shared vision of Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan H.E. Mr. Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Honourable Prime Minister of Bangladesh H.E. Mr. Tarique Rahman to promote education, youth development and academic collaboration between the two countries.

The Expo was inaugurated by the Honourable Education Minister of Bangladesh, Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon. The event was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Education, Vice Chancellors and Principals of leading universities and colleges, representatives of Pakistani universities, journalists and a large number of students.

Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon said that Pakistan–Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor would open new avenues for educational and research cooperation between the two countries and further strengthen bilateral academic relations. Appreciating the initiative, he remarked that the opportunity being provided to students from Bangladesh to pursue quality higher education in Pakistan on fully funded scholarships was highly commendable.

High Commissioner Imran Haider,in his remarks, described the initiative as a landmark step towards building enduring academic and institutional linkages between Pakistan and Bangladesh. He noted that Bangladeshi students have already commenced studies at prominent Pakistani universities under the first phase and expressed confidence that enhanced educational exchanges would further strengthen bilateral relations and people-to-people ties. He emphasized that the programme would create new avenues
for academic mobility, joint research, institutional partnerships and deeper people-to-people engagement.

Following Dhaka, similar Education Expos will also be organized in Barishal (12 May 2026), Rajshahi (14 May 2026), Sylhet (17 May 2026), Chittagong (18 May 2026) and Rangpur (20 May 2026) to facilitate greater outreach to students across Bangladesh.

The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from students and academia and was widely appreciated as an important initiative to deepen educational cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh.