Strengthening bilateral academic relations
The second phase of the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships under the Pakistan–Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor was launched during the Pakistan Education Expo 2026 held at a city hotel on Monday (11 May, 2026).
Pakistan High Commission Bangladesh organized the event in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
The Expo brought together representatives of 20 leading Pakistani universities and institutions to showcase scholarships 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 Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tarique Rahman to promote education, youth development and academic collaboration between the two countries.
Education Minister of Bangladesh Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon inaugurated the Expo.
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.
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.
An application form to be filled online at https://scholarship.hec.gov.pk/#/pbs
All registered candidates appear in scholarship test organized by HEC in collaboration with Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka and Bangladesh's Ministry of Higher Education. Shortlisted candidates will appear in an online interview.
Last date for submission of Applications is June 10, 2026.
