A 15-member delegation will showcase the country’s music, dance and art at two Pakistani cultural institutions
ISLAMABAD, October 16, 2026: A 15-member Bangladeshi cultural delegation has arrived in Islamabad to showcase Bangladesh’s rich cultural heritage through performances, as Dhaka and Islamabad seek to strengthen people-to-people ties through cultural exchanges.
The latest initiative highlights efforts to expand bilateral engagement beyond traditional diplomatic channels, with cultural cooperation offering an avenue to strengthen mutual understanding and people-to-people connections.
The programme is expected to provide Pakistani audiences with an opportunity to experience Bangladesh’s music, dance and artistic traditions while promoting cultural links between the two South Asian countries.
The delegation comprises musicians, dancers, vocal artists and representatives of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Renowned Bangladeshi painter and printmaker Md Abdus Satter is also part of the team, according to a press release issued by the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka and Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad on Friday.
Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad press councellor Taiab Ali said that Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan Fazle Lohani Babu welcomed the delegation with bouquet.
Director general of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) Muhammad Ayoub Jamali and high officials responsible for protocol were also present on behalf of the Pakistani government.
Led by Mizanur Rahman, joint secretary of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the delegation comprises Bangladeshi vocalists, dancers and musicians.
The artists are scheduled to perform at two cultural events titled “Bangladesh Cultural Evening” — one at the PNCA on October 17 and the other at Lok Virsa on October 18.
During the visit, the artists will present Bangladeshi culture through performances at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and Lok Virsa, two prominent cultural institutions in Islamabad.
The visit comes as the two countries seek to expand bilateral engagement beyond conventional diplomatic channels. Cultural exchanges are increasingly being viewed as a means of fostering mutual understanding and building closer connections between their peoples.
According to the press release, the initiative follows Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s decision to promote cultural exchanges between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
A Cultural Exchange Programme was signed during the visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar to Bangladesh last year, providing a framework for cultural cooperation between the two countries.
The latest visit marks a further step towards implementing that framework and strengthening engagement through artistic and cultural activities.
Bangladesh and Pakistan share historical and cultural connections, while exchanges involving artists and cultural institutions can provide opportunities to build mutual understanding and broaden engagement at the public level.
The two-day programme is expected to give audiences in Islamabad an opportunity to experience Bangladesh’s diverse cultural traditions while reinforcing efforts to develop closer people-to-people relations between Dhaka and Islamabad.
