Bangladesh Replaces Mussoorie With Lahore For Civil Servants’ Training

Last Updated:May 16, 2026, 10:33 IST

Till 2024, Bangladeshi officials travelled to Mussoorie for training under an arrangement that began in 2014 during the Hasina government.

Bangladesh has replaced Mussoorie with Lahore as the destination for training its civil servants amid strained ties with India, expired agreements and visa-related hurdles.

For years, Bangladeshi bureaucrats attended mid-career training programmes at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, which was seen as a symbol of close relations between the two neighbouring countries.

Now, 12 Bangladeshi bureaucrats are attending a training programme from May 4 to 21 at the Civil Services Academy in Lahore. The programme marks the first structured training initiative between Bangladesh and Pakistan since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from office, as ties between Dhaka and Islamabad have strengthened across several sectors, Times of India reported.

However, many in Dhaka believe the arrangement may not be permanent, with Bangladesh officials possibly attending programmes in both India and Pakistan as New Delhi and Dhaka attempt to reset bilateral ties.

Till 2024, Bangladeshi officials travelled to Mussoorie for training under an arrangement that began in 2014 during the Hasina government. The programme operated through an MoU between Bangladesh’s public administration ministry and the Delhi-based National Centre for Good Governance, according to ministry officials.

Officials said another MoU was signed on February 9, 2019, while a third agreement was signed in Dhaka on April 30, 2024. The latest agreement remained valid for one year.

According to the NCCG website, 1,019 Bangladeshi civil servants underwent training in field administration under its capacity building programme between 2019 and 2024.

Overall, around 2,500 Bangladeshi officials, including civil servants, have received training under such programmes. Officials from countries including Maldives, Myanmar, Cambodia, Gambia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Kenya also participated in the CBPs.

Bangladesh ministry officials said the current batch undergoing training in Pakistan includes one additional secretary and 11 joint secretaries. They added that the Pakistan government is covering all expenses related to the training programme and the Bangladesh government has no financial involvement in the visit.

A ministry notification said the officers will have to submit a report after returning home following the training programme.

News world Bangladesh Replaces Mussoorie With Lahore For Civil Servants’ Training

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