Pakistan launches Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships for Students from Bangladesh

The second phase of the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarships under Pakistan–Bangladesh Knowledge Corridor was launched with the inauguration of the Pakistan Education Expo 2026 at a local hotel in Dhaka today.

The program was organised by the Pakistan High Commission in Bangladesh in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC).

Representatives from 20 Pakistani universities and higher education institutions attended the event to present scholarship and study opportunities to Bangladeshi students.

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.

Officials from both countries say the initiative reflects a broader effort to strengthen bilateral ties through education, youth engagement and academic exchange.

The Expo was inaugurated by the Education Minister of Bangladesh, Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon.

Speaking on the occasion, 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.

He praised Pakistan’s decision to offer fully funded scholarships to Bangladeshi students, saying the initiative would create new opportunities for young people seeking higher education abroad.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, called the program a landmark step in building long-term academic and institutional partnerships between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

He said students from Bangladesh had already begun studies at leading Pakistani universities under the first phase of the scholarship program and expressed hope that increased educational exchanges would further improve people-to-people ties.

He emphasized that the program 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.