Carrying books, hopes and a new chapter of friendship between the two countries.

Diplomatic Correspondent: The third batch of Bangladeshi students departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka on Friday morning under the second phase of the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships Programme. The programme is fully funded by the Government of Pakistan for students from Bangladesh.

Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, was present at the airport to see the students off. He personally met each student, wished them success in their studies and future endeavours, and encouraged them to act as bridges between the peoples of the two countries.

Officials said the scholarship programme is named after Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the great poet-philosopher whose vision inspires generations across South Asia. Under this initiative, Bangladeshi students are getting opportunities to pursue higher studies in leading Pakistani universities in fields like engineering, medicine, information technology, agriculture and social sciences.

Earlier, two batches of students have already departed under this phase, and are now studying in different cities of Pakistan including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. With today’s batch, the number of students going to Pakistan under this programme is increasing steadily.

Students at the airport looked excited. Many were travelling abroad for the first time. One student told this media “This is not just a scholarship, it is a chance to learn, to see a new country and to make friends. We are grateful.”

Parents who came to see off their children also expressed happiness. They said such educational exchange will help reduce misunderstanding and bring the youth of both countries closer.

Diplomatic sources said education has become an important pillar of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations in recent months. Along with trade, connectivity and cultural exchange, scholarships and youth exchanges are now getting priority.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, its Public Diplomacy wing and the External Publicity Wing of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in a joint message that Pakistan remains committed to further strengthening people-to-people contacts with Bangladesh. The Allama Iqbal Scholarships are part of that commitment.

As the aircraft took off from Dhaka, it carried not only fifteen students, but also the message that the future of Bangladesh-Pakistan relations lies in classrooms, laboratories and friendships of the next generation.