Bangladesh interim government Advisory Council has approved a bilateral agreement with Pakistan allowing official and diplomatic passport holders of both countries to travel without visas.

The approval was given today at a meeting of the Advisory Council held at the Chief adviser’s Office in the city’s Tejgaon area with Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam disclosed the matter at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

The press secretary said, ‘We have signed similar agreements with 31 other countries. This agreement will remain valid for five years. As a result, holders of official and diplomatic passports from Bangladesh will be able to travel to Pakistan without visas’.

Likewise, holders of official and diplomatic passports from Pakistan will also be able to visit Bangladesh without visa, he said, adding, ‘This is a standard practice.’

Deputy press secretary to the chief adviser Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said that the Government of Pakistan has already given its consent to the agreement.