PM’s China visit to bolster Dhaka-Beijing economic ties: BNP

Bangladesh’s economic and strategic relationship with China will be further strengthened through Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s ongoing visit to the country, BNP senior joint secretary general and political adviser to the prime minister Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan, Dhaka, Rizvi said bilateral trade between Bangladesh and China stood at around $18 billion, with China holding significant investments in the country’s industrial infrastructure and services sector.

“Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit will further consolidate the economic and strategic ties between the two countries,” he said.

Rizvi said world leaders attending the World Economic Forum conference in China praised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s experience and initiatives, particularly his remarks on climate change and Bangladesh’s steps to address it.

He highlighted the government’s decision to extend tax incentives for renewable energy, especially solar power, as a major climate initiative, adding that Bangladesh had set a target of generating around 20 percent of its total electricity from solar sources by 2030.

On foreign policy, Rizvi said the current government’s diplomatic engagements reflected a shift from what he described as a one-sided foreign policy of the past toward a multi-directional approach.

He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was following the tradition of multi-directional foreign policy initiated by the late President Ziaur Rahman. “China does not interfere in the internal politics of other countries,” he added. “Bangladesh’s current diplomatic activities reflect a policy of independent foreign relations while keeping sovereignty intact.”

Turning to domestic economic matters, Rizvi said the government must take measures to ensure the welfare of ordinary, poor and low-income people.

He objected to the proposed inclusion of small grocery shops under the VAT regime, arguing their income was too limited to bear such a burden. At the same time, he said those with the capacity to pay taxes but currently outside the tax net should be brought in.

Rizvi also claimed the current government was accountable to the people and would be guided by their needs and aspirations. He said BNP had never adopted policies that caused serious harm to ordinary citizens during its time in power and that the party had survived all conspiracies against it with its popularity intact.

At the press conference, Rizvi also raised the issue of a road in Kolkata that had reportedly been named after Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy — the last prime minister of undivided Bengal and a founding leader of the Awami League — and claimed the name had since been changed. He criticised the Awami League and its supporters for remaining silent on the matter despite Suhrawardy being a founder of their own party and the direct political mentor of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“Renaming a road in Kolkata that bore the name of one of the subcontinent’s most distinguished leaders is a matter of poor taste,” Rizvi said. He noted that institutions named after various Indian leaders still exist in Bangladesh, calling it a sign of courtesy on Bangladesh’s part.