Published : 27 Jul 2026, 03:03 AM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:28 AM
Speakers at a Dhaka seminar urge Bangladesh to turn its renewed China ties into concrete gains, stressing national interest and economic sovereignty.
The South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) at North South University (NSU) organised the seminar "Bangladesh-China Relations: Enhanced Trust and New Direction", following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent Beijing visit.
Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, advisor to the finance and planning ministries, attended the event.
He says Bangladesh must pursue self-reliant development while engaging China on mutual respect, welcoming projects like the Chattogram Economic Zone, Mongla Port expansion and the Kunming-Chattogram connection.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam stresses converting commitments into high-impact projects with strong accountability.
Li Shaopeng, cultural counsellor at the Chinese embassy, says, "People matter more than infrastructure."
Ambassador Mohammad Sufiur Rahman presents the keynote, urging long-term strategic planning over short-term gains.
Liu Zongyi of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies joined as lead discussant.
NSU trustee Benjir Ahmed said, "Friendship builds trust, trust creates opportunity, and opportunity shapes the future."
Vice-Chancellor Prof Abdul Hannan Chowdhury called for Bangladesh to expand its export basket to China.
The seminar also touched on Bangladesh-China-Myanmar connectivity, Teesta river management, the Rohingya crisis, and avoiding overdependence on any single partner.
Prof SK Tawfique M Haque moderated the event, which closed with remarks from Dr SM Rubyat.
