Prime Minister Seeks China’s Cooperation to Resolve Rohingya Crisis

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sought China’s cooperation to resolve the crisis caused by the presence of a large number of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

He said the foundations of Bangladesh-China relations were laid during the tenure of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman. The relationship has long held a special place in the hearts of the people of both countries. It is now their responsibility to preserve this historic bond and carry it forward to future generations. The tradition of friendship and cooperation between the two countries will advance further through the new generation.

The Prime Minister made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday. The information was provided by the Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary, Shahadat Swadhin.

During the meeting, Liu Haixing conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. In response, the Prime Minister also conveyed his greetings to President Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Liu Haixing said a joint declaration on a new era of future bilateral relations between the two countries had been issued during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to Beijing. He said the areas of mutual cooperation would be expanded further in line with the declaration.

He also said China’s support for Bangladesh’s development and progress would continue. China’s commitment to Bangladesh remains unchanged, he added, expressing hope that relations between the two countries would become deeper and stronger in the future.

Liu Haixing also expressed confidence in Bangladesh’s economic growth and development prospects under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Tarique Rahman said the foundations of Bangladesh-China relations were laid during the tenure of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and that the relationship had long held a special place in the hearts of the people of both countries.

He said it was now their responsibility to preserve this historic relationship and carry it forward to future generations. The tradition of friendship and cooperation between the two countries would advance further through the new generation, he added.

The Prime Minister said the canal excavation programme in Bangladesh began after Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman’s visit to China and later gained widespread popularity. The programme made a significant contribution to agricultural development.

The current government has also undertaken an initiative to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals, which will benefit farmers and the general public. It will also play an important role in protecting biodiversity and maintaining environmental balance, he said.

Both sides also emphasised the importance of increasing communication and cooperation between the Communist Party of China and the BNP at the party level.

Liu Haixing said China was interested in making relations between the two parties broader and more multifaceted. He also invited a BNP delegation led by the party’s Secretary General to visit China.

The Bangladesh-China-Myanmar Economic Corridor was also discussed at the meeting. Liu Haixing expressed China’s support for Bangladesh’s inclusion in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

During the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman highlighted the pressure that the prolonged presence of 1.3 million Rohingya refugees has placed on Bangladesh’s economy, society, demography and environment. He sought China’s cooperation to resolve the crisis.

In response, Liu Haixing said China was aware of the Rohingya crisis. He assured the Prime Minister that he would inform Chinese President Xi Jinping of Bangladesh’s concerns over the issue.

The Chinese side also reiterated its commitment to continuing support for Bangladesh’s development and emphasised the importance of increasing contacts between the political parties and peoples of the two countries.

BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan, Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP Vice-Chairman Air Vice Marshal (retd.) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam were present at the meeting.

Among those accompanying Liu Haixing were Dr Liu Yuyin, Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh; Peng Xiubin, Director General of the Bureau of South-East and South Asian Affairs of the CPC International Department; and other senior officials.