Pakistani students can now apply for scholarships at Bangladesh's Islamic University of Technology in Dhaka for a variety of degree programs, according to a Wednesday Asian Mirror article.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) will announce these scholarships. It is yet to be revealed whether these scholarships will be fully or partially funded.

Pakistani students were eligible to receive these scholarships from Dhaka, a member of the Organization of Islamic Council (OIC).

No-Objection Certificate

Scholarship applications in the fields of medicine, engineering, nursing, architecture, law, and veterinary medicine require the production of a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the appropriate council.

The NOC is also deemed "a must" in order to secure a visa for Bangladesh.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation's ministerial standing committee on scientific and technical cooperation (COMSTECH) and the University of Lahore in Pakistan worked together earlier in January 2025 to create a scholarship program for scholars and students from Bangladesh.

The action coincides with a renewed effort by Pakistan and Bangladesh to mend long-standing tensions after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from office in August of last year by a student-led revolution.

Pakistan to Give Scholarships to Bangladeshi Students

The Pakistani government had previously announced that it would also provide 300 scholarships to Bangladeshi students in a variety of fields at prestigious colleges.

Engineering, basic and natural sciences, medicine and related health, social sciences, and the arts and humanities—including business education, computer science, information technology, agriculture sciences, media and communication studies, languages, architecture, fine arts, and more—will all be eligible for the scholarships.

The plan was well received by the secretary of education, who suggested that the partner universities work with the local universities to organize educational expos, seminars, and road shows in order to maximize the initiative's spread throughout Bangladesh.