DHAKA, JUL, 23 (V7N) – Pakistan's Home Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, met with Bangladesh's Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan at his Secretariat office today. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors, particularly youth development and sports.

Upon his arrival, Adviser Asif Mahmud, who also holds the portfolio for the Local Government, Rural Development, and Co-operative (LGRD and Co-operative) Ministry, extended a warm welcome to the Pakistani Home Minister. Asif highlighted that approximately 63 percent of Bangladesh's population falls within the 18-35 age bracket. He detailed various training programs being implemented through the Department of Youth Development, including Artificial Intelligence-based modules, aimed at creating employment opportunities and fostering youth entrepreneurship among this large demographic.

The Adviser emphasized the significant potential for cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan in sports. He proposed sharing ideas and experiences in cricket, hockey, and kabaddi, where both nations have a strong presence.

Beyond sports, Asif Mahmud noted Pakistan's advanced capabilities in solar power generation. He informed the minister that Bangladesh's Local Government Department is developing a rooftop solar policy for its nearly 5,600 institutions and expressed interest in exchanging experiences with Pakistan in this area.

The Adviser also informed the Home Minister that a Bangladeshi delegation would soon visit Pakistan to inspect their single database system for birth and death registration, following an invitation from Pakistan.

Mohsin Raza Naqvi, on behalf of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, conveyed deep grief and condolences for the loss of lives in the recent training jet crash into Milestone School and College in Uttara, Dhaka.

The Pakistani minister extended an invitation to the Sports Adviser to visit Pakistan and expressed keen interest in advancing youth development programs between the two countries. "We want to work together for the development of hockey, kabaddi and cricket. A memorandum of understanding will be signed between the two countries for the development of these three sports very soon," Naqvi stated.

The meeting was attended by Youth and Sports Secretary Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, Local Government Division Secretary Md Rezaul Maksud Jahedi, Pakistan Embassy Dhaka Chargé d'affaires Muhammad Wasif, Counsellor Kamran Dhanggal, and other senior officials from both ministries. This high-level exchange signals a renewed push for closer ties and collaborative initiatives between Bangladesh and Pakistan in key development and social sectors.

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