Diplomatic Correspondent: A second batch of 22 Bangladeshi students departed for Pakistan on Thursday to pursue higher education under the second phase of the Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor’s Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships Programme.

Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider was present at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka to see the students off.

The students appeared enthusiastic about beginning their academic journey in Pakistan and described the scholarship programme as a valuable opportunity to pursue their educational aspirations. They expressed gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for providing them with the opportunity to receive fully funded higher education.

The latest departure comes a day after another 42 Bangladeshi students left Dhaka for Pakistan on Wednesday under the same scholarship programme, bringing the number of students who have departed under the second phase to 64.

The scholarship recipients will pursue undergraduate, master’s and PhD programmes at leading universities in Pakistan. According to the Pakistan High Commission, more than 3,000 students appeared in the admission test for the second batch, with 125 qualifying for undergraduate programmes, 22 for master’s and 14 for PhD programmes.

The Pakistan-Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor was announced in 2025 as an initiative aimed at expanding educational cooperation and strengthening people-to-people contacts between the two countries. Under its first phase, 74 Bangladeshi students joined Pakistani universities last year.

The latest student departures highlight the growing role of higher education and academic exchanges in Bangladesh-Pakistan relations. For the participating students, the programme provides an opportunity to gain international academic experience while studying at universities in Pakistan.

The Pakistan High Commission has said the initiative is intended to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, particularly in education and people-to-people exchanges.

Diplomatic significance: The movement of the scholarship students comes as Bangladesh and Pakistan continue to explore broader areas of bilateral engagement. Educational exchanges such as the Knowledge Corridor provide a direct avenue for young people from both countries to develop academic and professional connections.