Describing China as a very important development partner, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Thursday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s forthcoming China visit will be a very important one which will involve discussion on many development projects.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will go to China on July 8. The visit will be from July 8 to 11,” Hasan confirmed the dates.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to China after coming back from India.
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"It is a reflection that we have been maintaining a balanced diplomacy,” he told reporters while responding to a question at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Foreign Minister said Dhaka follows Bangladesh foreign policy’s doctrine: “Friendship to all, malice towards none,” which was formulated by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid her first bilateral visit this year to New Delhi on June 21-22 and she is scheduled to pay her second bilateral visit to Beijing in the second week of July.
The Foreign Minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was the first head of government invited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after forming the new Indian government.
“It is indeed a matter of honor for us,” said Hasan.
"India is our true friend and the relationship with India is based on the spirit of the great 1971 Liberation War and bonded through cooperation and this special relationship is never to be broken. On the other hand, Hasan said, China is Bangladesh’s important development partner as Beijing had made significant investments in the country’s various projects," he added.
“China is our very important development partner while many Chinese companies are engaged in Bangladesh’s Padma Bridge project, Bangabandhu Tunnel and several railway projects as well,” he said.
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Hasan said the Prime Minister’s China visit is significant as discussion would be held on a wide range of issues including several projects.
“I believe the friendly relations between two countries (Bangladesh and China) will be strengthened through the (upcoming) visit of the Honorable Prime Minister(Sheikh Hasina) to China,” he said.
Responding to a query over the discussion agendas of the upcoming prime minister level bilateral meeting in Beijing, he said they are still developing those as there is more than one week to go before the visit.
The foreign minister said that the Rohingya issue will get priority in Beijing as China’s role is crucial in commencing the repatriation of the forcibly displaced people from Bangladesh to Myanmar.
Responding to question on both Chinese and Indian interest regarding the Teesta river project, Hasan said, “As Teesta is a transboundary river of India and Bangladesh, we think it will be good for us if India helps us (on Teesta project) as per our requirement.”
While asked about the recently signed Dhaka-Delhi Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on train movement between Bangladesh and India, the minister said it was based on the spirit of regional connectivity.
“Only a MoU was signed, no agreement yet to ink on this … we are thinking about regional connectivity that train service will not only run from Bangladesh to India, it will also run from Bangladesh to Nepal and Bhutan,” he said.
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The minister pointed out that the railway connectivity between Dhaka and Kolkata, Dhaka and Siliguri and Khulna and Kolkata have been under operation.
“No one complained yet on the railway connectivity with India, everyone is happy,” he said, adding that it would be beneficial for both the neighbours if the rail connection is extended further.
The minister said India has already allowed Bangladesh to transmit hydroelectricity over its territory while Delhi showed its willingness to allow goods transportation between Bangladesh and Nepal, Bhutan using Indian soil.