On 5 August 2024, Sheikh Hasina fled and took refuge in Delhi, India. On 8 August 2024, an interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus assumed responsibility for running the country. On 12 February 2026, the BNP alliance formed a government under the leadership of Tarique Rahman through the Bangladesh National Parliament elections.
On June 21, 2026, Honorable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman made his first foreign visit to Malaysia. This visit was at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. After a brief visit to Malaysia, Tarique Rahman attended the 17th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum’s ‘New Champions’ held in Dalian, China on June 22.
The China and Malaysia visit is Tarique Rahman’s first state visit after assuming office as the head of government and it is a successful visit. Politically, the decision has been good from a diplomatic perspective. On June 23, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman participated in several sessions of the Economic Forum and delivered a speech. On June 24, he reached Beijing by train from Dalian. He held separate meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Yuan. The visit was very short. He returned on June 26.
In addition to the Chinese President and Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman met with Chinese Water Resources Minister Li Poreng. He also met with major Chinese industrialists. The purpose of this was to make new investments.
After the talks between the two countries, a state declaration was issued. In it, both countries spoke of establishing a common future and partnership. In the declaration, the Chinese government pledged to uphold Bangladesh’s national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
And has sent a strong message against any foreign interference. China’s support is very important in Asian and global geopolitics.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stated at the meeting that no matter what changes occur in the world, China will stand by Bangladesh as a “trustworthy good friend, good neighbor, and reliable partner.”
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expressed after the meeting that China will continue to cooperate with Bangladesh in the future as a valued and global development partner in the development of Bangladesh. China will continue to advance their high-quality Belt and Road Initiative, cooperate in the economy, science and technology, agriculture, technology, communications, green forestry, education and health sectors, and increase investment.
China assures cooperation: fruitful discussions with China on Rohingya issue The talks at the head of government and ministerial level covered a wide range of topics including economic cooperation, investment, foreign exchange expansion, infrastructure development, water resources management, and defense cooperation.
President Xi Jinping’s proposal: The major achievement of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to China is the bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping and discussions on various development projects.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed the establishment and implementation the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic and Communication Corridor. If the corridor is implemented, it will create new opportunities for Chinese investment in Bangladesh’s roads and railways, ports and special economic zones. If this project is implemented, the market for Bangladeshi products will expand in Southeast Asia and China. China will launch a $400 million loan project to develop and modernize Bangladesh’s Mongla Sea Port. China has once again expressed its interest in implementing the Tija mega project. On the other hand, China has renewed its support for Bangladesh’s inclusion in BRICS.
17MoUs Signed: 17 MoUs Signed During Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Visit to China The signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) took place. Of these agreements, 13 were signed at the ministerial level of the two countries, 3 were signed between the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and various Chinese institutions, and one was signed between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Communist Party of China.
The Prime Minister’s visit to China will give a new boost to the country’s economy. There is a possibility of billions of US dollars of investment in various projects by China and Bangladesh. This visit will take China-Bangladesh relations to a new height.
China-Bangladesh Historical Relations: Bangladesh became independent on 16 December 1971 on the occasion of Victory Day. At that time, China did not recognize Bangladesh. In 1971, the People’s Republic of China did not recognize Bangladesh. In 1975, the People’s Republic of China recognized Bangladesh. In the same year, i.e. 1975, China established diplomatic relations with Bangladesh. At the state level, our relations with China were established during the rule of martyr President Ziaur Rahman, i.e. in 1977. In 1977, the then army chief and chief martial law administrator, Major General Ziaur Rahman, visited China. Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai welcomed Ziaur Rahman at the airport. In 1980, Ziaur Rahman visited China again as president. Therefore, our relations with China are very old and deep.
Bangladesh established diplomatic relations with China in 1975. China has been our friend for a long time. China’s basic policy in foreign relations is to maintain good relations with all governments and to put trade and economic interests first.
Begum Zia’s China Visit: Begum Khaleda Zia was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh three times. An uncompromising leader, she fought for democracy until the end of her life. She never compromised in politics. She never left the country. That is why the people of the country remember her. After her death, millions of people attended her funeral, proving how great, how great, how honorable she was. Begum Khaleda Zia visited China several times during her rule. She accelerated China’s participation in the country’s economic activities in many ways.
Chinese President Xi Jinping last visited Bangladesh in 2016. At that time, several projects in the infrastructure, energy, and industrial sectors were undertaken in Bangladesh with Chinese funding. China has always worked with any government, be it military, authoritarian, or undemocratic. Chinese funding has not stopped completely. Sometimes it has increased, sometimes it has just decreased.
China is Bangladesh’s largest trading partner: China is our major trading partner. We have big projects with big investments from China. In the fiscal year 2024-25, imports from China amounted to 22 million US dollars. On the other hand, exports to China were only 850 million US dollars. Most of the imported products are industrial raw materials, machinery, our export value is very low. We do not have diversity in exports.
TAD’s major investments in Bangladesh: from 2015 to 2025 are more than 30 billion US dollars. Most of the investments are in the infrastructure sector. Notable investments of Chand include the Padma Bridge, oil connection, Payara Thermal Power Plant and Karnaphuli Channel. Although the Karnaphuli Tunnel Project is a non-profit project, it is a big project in the country today.
Several projects are underway with Chinese loan assistance. All these projects should be kept running. Some projects are closed. Initiatives should be taken to start them. The government should take initiatives to reduce the interest rate on loans. The loan limit should also be increased.
China Bangladesh trade deficit : China Bangladesh trade deficit is also the bilateral trade volume between Bangladesh and China is 22 to 25 billion US dollars. Exports are very similar to imports. Our trade deficit is 22 billion dollars. China has provided Bangladesh with 97 percent duty-free export facilities. Imports to China are very low. Our country’s businessmen are not able to take advantage of such export facilities.
To reduce the trade deficit, we need to take initiatives to export high-value, highquality ready-made garments. The government needs to take special initiatives to increase the export of leather and leather products, marine products, jute and jute products. On the other hand, if the export of agricultural products and medicines starts according to the new policy of the current government, there is a possibility of reducing the trade deficit by 2 to 3 percent.
China’s Grants: China is giving us loan facilities in exchange for interest. With all these facilities, our major projects are being funded. In addition to the loan facilities, China has also provided grant assistance to several important facilities. There are 9 major projects and several medium-sized projects with Chinese grants. The projects built with visible grants are – Bangladesh China Friendship Bridge, Bangladesh China Friendship International Conference Center in Dhaka and the International Trade Fair Center in Purbachal. A large number of Chinese companies are doing business in Bangladesh in various sectors. They have invested. Many Chinese companies are working in the ready-made garments, electricity, construction, and information technology sectors. Thousands of Bangladeshi jobs have been created due to Chinese companies.
China has invested in the IT sector. Chinese technology is being widely used in telecommunication networks, fiber optic infrastructure, data centers, cloud computing, and various smart technology-based institutions. Chinese technology, equipment, and raw materials are the only ones in the country to produce various technology-based products including electronic products, laptops, computers, and mobile phones.
Even in the agricultural sector, China’s contribution is significant. The use of technology, high-yielding seeds, and modern agricultural machinery are playing a major role in the agricultural revolution in Bangladesh.
Tarique Rahman’s achievements in China visit: For the first time in Bangladesh, Tarique Rahansan has been elected to the National Parliament and has been given the responsibility of running the country. After assuming the responsibility of the Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman has shown a surprise in geopolitics. The strategic order tour has taken Tarique Rahman to unique heights. He has emerged as a political gem. First, the Malaysia and then the China tour are diplomatic victories for Bangladesh.
The BNP government’s visit to China is a great success in gaining the trust of a large country in economic and political matters. The visit to China has taken the country a long way in establishing international relations.
After the China visit, China will invest in Bangladesh in several new agreements. Old projects are being restarted. Suspended projects are being launched. China has assured the new government that Bangladesh will remain part of China’s long-term strategic priorities. On the other hand, China’s commitment to protecting independence and sovereignty has given strength to the Tarique Rahman government. It has moved forward strategically in geopolitics.
China’s assurance in the modernization of Mongla seaport, implementation of Teesta mega project is a big achievement. The proposal to build Bangladesh Myanmar China Economic Corridor is a big achievement for Bangladesh. All these proposals and initiatives will play a big role in the thinking of big countries including India and the United States. It has strengthened Bangladesh’s position.
Our cautious stance: It is a big task for a state to move towards development while maintaining its achievements. We need to be very careful about Chinese investment in Bangladesh. Especially, we need to be very careful in terms of obtaining economic returns (ER).
As difficult as it is to borrow, it is even more difficult to repay the loan on time. The challenge is to make the projects financed by the loan profitable. We must be careful not to fall into the debt trap of Chinese investment. As happened in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and some African countries. We need to make good use of the experience of all these countries.
In order to utilize investment, political stability, administrative capacity, policy consistency, and good rule of law must be ensured in the country.
Political Caution: Bangladesh’s diplomacy is liberal. Coexistence with all, hostility with none. This policy has been followed by the country’s leaders since the country’s independence. The foreign policy of martyred President Ziaur Rahman is based on this ideal.
The country’s leader Begum Khaleda Zia has also been following this policy and has been running the country. And the current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Shahid Zia have followed the ideals of Begum Khaleda Zia. That is why the country is in a good position diplomatically in a short time. Tarique Rahman’s government has taken initiatives to further strengthen relations with China. On the other hand, extensive initiatives have been taken to improve mutual relations by resolving existing problems with our largest neighbor, India.
The previous interim government signed a trade agreement with the United States. The current government is trying to overcome the crisis of confidence in Bangladesh’s foreign policy and diplomacy, establish balanced and friendly relations with all while keeping the country’s interests intact, and increase administrative and diplomatic capacity. The current government has taken various initiatives from the beginning to ensure internal political stability and is trying to strengthen the democratic trend of the country by ensuring coexistence with all political parties.
Friendship with all, enmity with none – this is the policy followed by the current government.
আবুল কাসেম হায়দার
সাবেক সহ সভাপতি এফবিসিসিআই, বিটিএমইএ, বিজিএমইএ , বেসরকারি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় সমিতি, প্রতিষ্ঠতা চেয়ারম্যান ইস্টার্ন ইউনির্ভাসিটি ও ইসলামিক ফাইন্যান্স এন্ড ইনভেস্টমেন্ট লি:, অষ্ট্রেলিয়ান ইন্টারন্যাশনাল স্কুল, আবুল কাসেম হায়দার মহিলা কলেজ সন্দ্বীপ, চট্টগ্রাম, সাবেক সিনেট সদস্য ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়।
তিনি আজীবন সদস্য : এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটী বাংলাদেশ, বাংলা একাডেমী, চট্টগ্রাম সমিতি, সন্দ্বীপ সমিতি ঢাকা ।
লেখক সাপ্তাহিক প্যানোরামা সম্পাদকের দায়িত্ব পালন করছেন।
- আবুল কাসেম হায়দার
- আবুল কাসেম হায়দার
- আবুল কাসেম হায়দার
- আবুল কাসেম হায়দার
