[đŸ‡§đŸ‡©] China is a Time Tested Friend and a Strategic Partner of Bangladesh

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[đŸ‡§đŸ‡©] China is a Time Tested Friend and a Strategic Partner of Bangladesh
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30 Chinese companies pledge over $1b for investment in Bangladesh
bdnews24.com
Published :
Mar 30, 2025 23:30
Updated :
Mar 30, 2025 23:30

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Bangladesh has secured over $1 billion in investment commitments from the Chinese government and businesses as part of a $2.1 billion package, which also includes loans and grants.

A total of 30 Chinese companies have committed to investing in the country, according to the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus returned to Dhaka on Saturday after a four-day state trip to China.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon at the Foreign Service Academy about the visit, the BIDA chief said: “This total commitment of $2.1 billion is different from previous deals. Many of our past agreements were in the form of loans, which require repayment.

“While loans provide immediate funding, the challenge lies in paying them back, with interest, over time.

“On the other hand, investments stay within our economy, offering long-term benefits and job creation,” he added.

The bulk of the Chinese investment will focus on a Chinese industrial and economic zone being developed in Chattogram’s Anwara.

Work is under way to set up the zone on an 800 acre, or 323.76 hectares, plot of land.

Despite delays since 2022, Ashik highlighted that progress had “notably” sped up in the last three months.

He said, “We’ve made considerable strides and received major decisions from the government.

“Negotiations have reached a stage where investors are confident that construction work will begin sometime this year.

“Land acquisition has been completed, and the focus is now on the construction phase.”

He added that half of the $750 million loan will be directed towards developing the Chinese economic zone in Chattogram while the other half will go towards modernising the Mongla Port.

In addition, Ashik revealed an additional proposal from China to establish another Chinese economic zone in Mongla.

If accepted, this would mark the second such zone in Bangladesh.

The healthcare sector collaboration was a key focus of the interim prime minister’s China visit.

One key area of collaboration during the trip was in the healthcare sector.

The BIDA chief said: “About 12 percent of the commitment comes as grants, totalling around $250 million—$150 million for technical assistance and $100 million for hospitals.

“We are working to secure China’s support for advanced hospitals and primary healthcare, reducing reliance on India and Thailand.”

Ashik said the Chinese economic zone played a crucial role in securing these investments. “We have long discussed Chinese investment and have once again realised its significance.

“We, however, have not fully utilised this opportunity. Chinese investors have some understanding of Bangladesh, but their knowledge is still limited.

“We must engage more actively with China, as it holds the greatest investment potential for us,” he added.​
 

Beijing 'positive' about letting Bangladeshi students visit for higher education
bdnews24.com
Published :
Mar 30, 2025 21:20
Updated :
Mar 30, 2025 21:24

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Khalilur Rahman, the chief advisor’s top aide, has said China has responded positively about providing higher education opportunities to Bangladeshi students.

On Sunday, he spoke about many Bangladeshi students studying in China and said more will join them in future.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus returned to Dhaka on Saturday after a four-day state trip to China.

“We’ve spent 50 fine years of our relationship with China. The chief advisor and President Xi Jinping have established a strong foundation to strengthen our bilateral relationship over the next 50 years. One of these is water resources and another is industrialisation,” Khalilur said.

You’ve already seen Bangladeshi students at the special convocation of Peking University. A significant number of Bangladeshi students study in other provinces as well.

Khalilur brought up the imminent visit of the governor of Kunming in April, where education would be a key point of discussion.

Bangladesh and China have signed an agreement on economic and technical cooperation and eight memoranda of understanding on translation and production of classics, exchanges and cooperation on cultural heritage, news exchange, media, sports and health sectors.

He said engagement with educational institutions was key to enhancing “people-to-people contact”.

“The chief advisor told every leader in China and at Peking University, where he was an honorary professor many years ago, that ‘We want thousands of Bangladeshi students, not just one or two, to study in China.”​
 

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