Dhaka, May 9, 2026: Mohsin Naqvi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Salahuddin Ahmed signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Dhaka on Saturday to strengthen bilateral cooperation against drug trafficking, narcotics abuse, and transnational crime.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to establish a secretary-level joint working group between the interior ministries of Pakistan and Bangladesh to coordinate efforts aimed at curbing the illegal movement, sale, and supply of narcotics across borders.
Under the agreement, the two countries will enhance collaboration to prevent illicit drug transportation and smuggling, share timely intelligence regarding trafficking networks, and jointly formulate strategies to dismantle organised drug supply chains.
The ministers also pledged to work together to address the growing challenge of drug abuse and its damaging social consequences.
The MoU was formally signed by Mohsin Naqvi on behalf of the Government of Pakistan and Salahuddin Ahmed on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh.
The agreement further includes cooperation in personnel training, exchange of best practices, and the use of modern technologies to strengthen anti-narcotics operations. During the talks, Minister Naqvi also offered Pakistan’s full support for Bangladesh’s Safe City Project, assuring cooperation at all levels.
Both sides expressed a strong desire to deepen bilateral ties in internal security, civil armed forces training, counterterrorism, and efforts to combat human smuggling. The discussions also covered enhanced cooperation in tackling cybercrime, organised crime, and financial fraud.
The two ministers exchanged views on joint counterterrorism initiatives and explored opportunities for collaboration between police academies, including specialised training programmes for law enforcement officers.
Mohsin Naqvi extended an invitation to Salahuddin Ahmed to visit Pakistan, while the Bangladeshi minister appreciated Pakistan’s offer of assistance for the Safe City Project.
Among those present during the meeting were Asad Alam Siam, Naseem Al Ghani, Manzoor Chaudhry, and Imran Haider.
Relations between Islamabad and Dhaka have witnessed notable improvement since 2024 following the ouster of former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Since then, Pakistan and Bangladesh have expanded bilateral engagement, including the launch of sea trade last year and increased government-to-government commerce in February. Earlier this year, Bangladesh’s national carrier also resumed regular flights to Karachi for the first time since 2012.
