Bangladesh and China plan to commemorate 40 years of diplomatic ties next year with year-long celebrations.
Published : 13 Jun 2014, 01:46 AM
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam on Thursday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed them to take preparations.
“We’ll discuss with all relevant ministries about the celebrations,” he said.
Alam briefing reporters on Hasina’s just-concluded China visit said the issue had been discussed during her visit.
He said China would invite 100 Bangladeshi youths as part of the bonhomie.
China established diplomatic and military relations with Bangladesh 40 years ago.
People-to-people exchanges had crossed 70,000 last year and the two-way trade soared to over $ 10 billion.
The junior foreign minister said the Prime Minister’s visit took the relationship to a new height.
He said China also made a rare gesture during the visit by signing a MoU on the construction of a multi-lane tunnel beneath the Karnaphuli River.
Alam said the Chinese company was not ready to sign the MoU.
But when Hasina showed her interest in signing the MoU during the banquet dinner, her Chinese counterpart acted promptly.
He directed the finance and commerce ministers to arrange the signing of the deal and finally it happened late in the night.
“It proves the beginning of a new era in China-Bangladesh relationship,” he commented.
In a joint statement after the bilateral meeting, Bangladesh and China agreed to strengthen the cooperation further in all spheres, he said.
The prime minister will brief the press on Saturday on her visit, the first since she came to power for the second successive term.