Speaker seeks wider China cooperation in investment, parliament

Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, said on Tuesday that China, a close friend of Bangladesh, had been extending all-out support for the country’s development.
He made the remarks when outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen called on him at the speaker’s office, according to a press release.
The speaker said martyred president Ziaur Rahman had first initiated Bangladesh-China relations, which former prime minister Khaleda Zia had helped develop, adding that a parliamentary friendship group could strengthen bilateral ties. Referring to the Rohingya crisis, Hafiz Uddin said Bangladesh faced major challenges in repatriating nearly 1.2m Rohingyas and sought China’s help.
Yao Wen said the present Bangladesh government had the people’s mandate and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to China had enriched bilateral ties. He described China as Bangladesh’s largest development partner, with investment spanning mega, medium and small-scale projects, and said Beijing wanted to help Bangladesh become a regional production hub, particularly in ICT and logistics.
The two sides discussed boosting investment, a Bangladesh-Myanmar-China corridor, Rohingya crisis and energy issues. The Speaker reaffirmed support for the One-China policy, invited Chinese firms to explore oil and gas opportunities in coastal areas, including Bhola, and sought China’s backing for Bangladesh’s IPU Executive Council candidate, Barrister Jahrat Adib Chowdhury, chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee.