Bangladesh and Pakistan are set to strengthen cultural ties through a four-day visit by a 15-member Bangladeshi cultural delegation to Islamabad, where artists will showcase Bangladesh’s musical, dance and artistic traditions at two major cultural institutions.
The delegation arrived in the Pakistani capital on Friday under a bilateral cultural exchange programme aimed at promoting people-to-people contact and deepening cultural understanding between the two countries, according to Bangladesh High Commission in Pakistan.
The artists will perform at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on 17 October and at Lok Virsa on 18 October, presenting Bangladeshi culture to Pakistani audiences through music, dance and vocal performances.
The delegation comprises musicians, singers, dancers and representatives of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Renowned Bangladeshi painter and printmaker Md Abdus Satter is also part of the group.
The delegation is led by Mizanur Rahman, joint secretary at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. At Islamabad International Airport, the delegation received a floral welcome from Fazle Lohani Babu, deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan. Representing the Pakistani government, Muhammad Ayoub Jamali, director general of the PNCA, and protocol officials were also present.
The visit reflects efforts by Dhaka and Islamabad to use cultural diplomacy as a means of strengthening bilateral engagement beyond formal diplomatic and political relations.
According to the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka, the programme follows a decision by Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.
A cultural exchange programme was signed during the visit to Bangladesh last year by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Ishaq Dar, providing a framework for cooperation in the performing arts.
The Islamabad performances offer an opportunity for Pakistani audiences to experience Bangladesh’s cultural heritage directly, while creating space for greater artistic interaction between the two countries.
Such exchanges can help build mutual understanding through shared cultural experiences, including music, dance and the visual arts, and encourage future collaboration among artists and cultural institutions.
The four-day visit marks a practical step towards translating bilateral cultural commitments into public engagement, with the potential to expand exchanges and strengthen people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan.