Bangladesh and Pakistan at a foreign minister level meeting in Dhaka have iterated their pledges to further strengthen the existing multidimensional and historical bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect, understanding and cooperation.

"Pakistan is our important neighbor in the South Asia. The relation between Bangladesh and Pakistan is multifaceted and historical. We vowed to take ahead the existing relations," Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain told a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

The press conference was held following a foreign minister level meeting between Bangladesh and Pakistan in a city hotel.

Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain and Pakistan`s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar led their respective sides.

Touhid said various issues, including unresolved issues of the past, trade and commerce, health, education and sports were discussed in the meeting.

During the meeting, the two sides stressed strengthening trade relations and expanding investment, as yearly turnover between the countries is below $1 billion, he said.

The foreign adviser said Bangladesh sought access to Pakistan markets under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) in textiles, energy, medicine industry, agriculture, fisheries and livestock and information technology sectors.

Pakistan also talked about exporting energy to Bangladesh, he mentioned.

"In transport and communication sector, shipping services between Chattogram and Karachi have begun but the service is not regular. We put emphasis on making the service regular," he said.

In view of flight operations, two airlines have been given initial permit and details workout is underway to introduce direct flights between the two countries with a view to boosting trade and commerce as well as tourism and other sectors, he said.

The adviser said both sides talked about extending cooperation in the field of higher education, specially providing scholarships to Bangladeshi students.

He said both sides agreed on extending cooperation in medical education, medicines, engineering and technology sectors.

"Apart from bilateral issues, we talked about extending cooperation in regional issues like SAARC," he said.

About atrocities in Gaza, both sides expressed their opinions for stopping the atrocities there and both sides opposed using starvation as a weapon in Gaza.

On Rohingya issue, Bangladesh sought Pakistan`s cooperation for resolving the crisis through safe return of the Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar, he said.

He said the two countries signed one agreement and five memorandums of understanding (MoUs).

The agreement allows visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports. The MoUs cover the establishment of a joint working group on trade and commerce, cooperation between national news agencies - Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), collaboration between the foreign service academies of both countries, and ties between the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and its Pakistani counterpart.

Ishaq Dar arrived in Dhaka on Saturday on a two-day official visit at the invitation of the government of Bangladesh.

Source: BSS