China-Dhaka Day was celebrated in the capital on Thursday with a series of events, including a discussion and cultural programme at North South University (NSU), highlighting the growing ties between the two countries.
The Chinese Embassy in Dhaka and NSU jointly organised the celebration on Thursday, featuring exhibitions, cultural performances, seminars, and film screenings, showcasing the achievements of China-Bangladesh cooperation and the richness of Chinese culture.
Fisheries and Livestock Affairs Adviser Farida Akhter, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, NSU Vice Chancellor Dr. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury and NSU Board of Trustees member Benazir Ahmed spoke at the discussion session.
Adviser Farida lauded China’s achievements in poverty alleviation, saying Bangladesh could draw important lessons from the experience.
“China is advancing day by day. Especially in poverty alleviation, they have been very successful. Millions of people in the country have come out of poverty. Bangladesh should follow China’s example,” she said.
She noted that during the chief adviser’s recent visit to China, eight agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed, adding, “We hope that the relationship between the two countries will grow even stronger in the coming days.”
Ambassador Yao Wen recalled that this year marks the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-China diplomatic relations.
“The bond between our two nations is becoming deeper day by day. Cooperation in education and culture is increasing. In the future, we want to move forward together on the path of peace and prosperity,” he said, expressing hope that bilateral ties will reach new heights.
The NSU vice chancellor highlighted the role of the university’s Confucius Institute in promoting language and cultural exchanges.
“In 2006, North South University established the first Confucius Institute in South Asia. Since then, 20,000 students have learned the Chinese language here. However, it’s not just limited to language instruction—research and cultural exchanges are also taking place,” he said.
He added that NSU has been observing China-Dhaka Day annually and was pleased to host this year’s celebration as well.
The day featured two technical sessions on education and culture. The first session was moderated by Dr. S.M. Rezwan Ul Alam, associate professor, Department of Political Science and Sociology (PSS) at NSU, who highlighted the importance of media literacy and cultural exchange in overcoming misconceptions.
The second session, moderated by Prof. Sk. Tawfique M. Haque, Director of SIPG at NSU, focused on the growing importance of Mandarin in Bangladesh due to expanding trade with China.