Khulna, Bangladesh: Opener Mohammad Hafeez was 137 not out in powering Pakistan to 227-1 and 105 runs behind Bangladesh after two days of the first cricket test on Wednesday.
Bangladesh resumed its first innings on 236-4 and was bowled out for 332 three overs after lunch.
Hafeez reached his third century in three tests, and eighth overall, with his eighth boundary. The sixth Pakistani to score centuries in three straight tests raised his bat, and did the sajdah.
He and Azhar Ali, unbeaten on 65, have shared 177 runs in Pakistan's highest second-wicket partnership against Bangladesh.
"We are waiting for one good session to come back to the game," Bangladesh batsman Soumya Sarkar said. "If we can do that tomorrow morning, the momentum will swing back towards us."
Debutant Sami Aslam was the only batsman to fall, for 20 after a rapid opening stand of 50.
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (1-43) broke the partnership as it looked threatening. Hafeez and Aslam shared 50 off 67 balls until Aslam grazed a leg-side delivery and was caught behind. The umpire gave not out, but Bangladesh won the appeal on video review.
Azhar looked shaky at the start, and survived chances on 11 and 28. Mahmudullah dropped an easy catch at slip off Shakib Al Hasan, while captain Mushfiqur Rahim failed to hold another catch of Azhar off debutant fast bowler Mohammad Shahid.
Mushfiqur injured his ring finger injury while trying to take the catch. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays, and Tamim Iqbal took over leading the side.
Azhar went on to his 19th half-century by hitting Shakib for six, as Hafeez did in bringing up his 50 by whacking the same bowler over the midwicket fence.
Hafeez scored only eight runs in the three-match, one-day international series, tormented by left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny. But in the test, he handled the Bangladesh spinner with ease to help his side quickly eat into the hosts' advantage.
"Test cricket is all about positive cricket. If you can take three per over you can put the opposition under pressure," Pakistan bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed said. "The main plan was to play the natural game, and Hafeez is a natural strokemaker, and he should not change his game plan."
He was particularly harsh on Shakib, Bangladesh's best bowler on the placid pitch.
Hafeez, who won a video review on 13, reached his own 100 off 123 balls, getting to his century in style by hitting paceman Rubel Hossain for consecutive fours through midwicket.
By stumps, he had played 137 balls, hit a dozen boundaries and two sixes.
On a pitch in which the Pakistan batsmen scored effortlessly, Bangladesh added only 96 runs to its overnight total. It lost its last five wickets for 27 runs.
"We have the plan. We planned to bowl them out for less than 300 or not more than 325," Mushtaq said. "That was the plan and the guys really bowled well. I must give the credit to Misbah. He used the spinners very well. We had a very good tactical field position."
Fast bowler Wahab Riaz and legspinner Yasir Shah claimed three wickets apiece, and Hafeez and Zulfiqar Babar two each.
