United News of Bangladesh

China has proposed the development of an economic corridor connecting Bangladesh, Myanmar and China to enhance regional connectivity, trade and economic cooperation. The proposal came during talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday morning, said Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Spokesperson Mahdi Amin. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Mahdi Amin said the two leaders held detailed discussions on connectivity. "President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman discussed connectivity in detail. A proposal was made on how an economic corridor could be developed linking Bangladesh, Myanmar and China," he said. The PMO spokesperson said the proposed corridor aims to expand Bangladesh's economy, increase economic transactions and strengthen multimodal transportation across the region. He said the initiative could create new opportunities for regional trade, investment and connectivity. Mahdi Amin, also an adviser to the Prime Minister, said China also expressed interest in further modernising Chattogram Port. "We want to work on modernising the port and transforming it into a regional hub that will serve not only Bangladesh but also other countries," he said. At the same time, China expressed interest in upgrading Mongla Port and making it more progressive and service-oriented, the adviser said. “We discussed these issues during the meeting." People-to-People RelationsMahdi Amin said Bangladesh wants to strengthen people-to-people ties with China as part of the broader bilateral relationship. "We want to enhance people-to-people relations through cooperation in culture, media, technology, knowledge transfer and employment generation," he said. "There are areas relating to heritage, information and technology. In every sector, we want to deepen relations between the people of the two countries, and the two leaders discussed these issues," PMO spokesperson said. He said Mandarin is already being prioritised as a third language in Bangladesh's education system, while technical and vocational education is also receiving greater emphasis. "In both areas, China is willing to support Bangladesh by sharing its own experience. China will provide teachers and infrastructural support for Chinese language education," he added. Visa Processing for Medical TreatmentMahdi Amin said China also expressed interest in supporting Bangladesh in the healthcare sector. "They are interested in helping Bangladesh introduce advanced medical services, including robotic surgery, hospital establishment and other modern healthcare facilities," he said. "Many Bangladeshis travel abroad for medical treatment. China is willing to facilitate easier visa processing and extend other support to those seeking treatment there," the PMO spokesperson added.

Speakers at a discussion termed the ‘Padma Bridge’ as a symbol of national aspirations and urged the government to build it as an economic corridor for both sides of the river for the greater benefits of the country. They emphasize that this bridge needs to be made an economic corridor. If economic zones and industrial parks can be built around the river, it will be able to contribute to economic development and employment. They came up with the suggestion while speaking in a discussion on 'Current Status of the Macroeconomic: Bangladesh Perspective,' jointly organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) and Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) at the CA Bhavan Auditorium in Karwanbazar on Saturday. Also read: All 64 districts to celebrate Padma Bridge's inauguration Planning Minister MA Mannan, the chief guest of the discussion, said the government is working to check waste of state money in every sector of the country. "We are working to prevent waste, sometimes we are relaxed. It has to be rushed. Now there are 1800 projects. We are designing the priority projects based on importance and need,” the planning minister added. Prof Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow, Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said the Padma Bridge is a symbol of national aspiration. It should not only be used for transportation, it should be made an economic corridor. “There were plans to build 17 economic zones around the Padma Bridge. They have to do that. Then it will be able to contribute to the national economy and employment,” he said. Ahsan H. Mansur, Executive Director, the Policy Research Institute (PRI) and Chairman Brac Bank, said that it is important to keep the exchange rate of taka stable, it is also important to strengthen local currency. “The price of the US dollar was between 82, 83 and 84. But suddenly the taka depreciated severely, there is a reason also. But a stable exchange rate is important for the economy,” he said. Also read: Padma Bridge is a blessing for southern people: Minister Regarding the budget, Mansur said, “Our budget is only 14 percent of GDP, which is less than other countries. Again, a large expenditure of our budget goes to pay salaries and allowances. The rest of the money is used for government development work. It is better to make the budget at least 20 percent of GDP.”