A nine-member high-level delegation of the BNP, led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, left Dhaka for China on Sunday night on a five-day visit at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
They departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Beijing around 10:14 pm on a flight of Air China, said Mirza Fakhrul's personal assistant Yunus Ali.
The eight other BNP delegation members are BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Begum Selima Rahman, Chairperson's Advisers Zahir Uddin Swapan, Ismail Zabiullah, Professor Sukomal Barua, party's media cell convener Dr Moudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel and BNP Chairperson’s Personal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar.
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Yunus said the CPC has given a formal invitation for the visit, which is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral relations and sharing party-level experiences.
He said the BNP delegation is expected to leave China on the night of June 27 and return home in the early hours of June 28.
Earlier, the delegation visited the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday evening at the invitation of China’s acting ambassador to Dhaka ahead of the trip.
Party insiders said the visit underscores BNP’s intention to deepen relations with China, which remains a key development partner for Bangladesh.
They believe the visit may play a crucial role in bolstering diplomatic engagement with Beijing, especially in the context of a possible future political transition in Bangladesh.
The BNP is increasingly viewed by stakeholders as a 'government in waiting', given the present political context of Bangladesh. That wait is expected to last till the next election.
BNP leaders also view the trip as part of a broader effort by the Chinese government to build and maintain relationships across the political spectrum in Bangladesh.
Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime on August 5 last year, China has intensified diplomatic engagement with various political parties in the country, including the BNP, newly-formed NCP and even a number of Islamist parties.
On February 24, a 21-member ‘unique’ delegation consisting of leaders from eight political parties, including the BNP, led by BNP Standing Committee member Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, visited China for an 11-day trip aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation between the two countries.