But this is no mere rural backwater. It is the sort of place to which foreign manufacturers may increasingly turn, if the rising wage demands of factory workers in China prompt companies to seek new pools of cheap labor elsewhere.

Already, in factories behind steel gates and tall concrete walls, tens of thousands of workers, most of them women, spend their days stitching T-shirts, pants and sweaters for Wal-Mart, H&M, Zara and other Western retailers and brands.

One of the Bangladeshi companies here, the DBL Group, employs 9,000 people making T-shirts and other knitwear. Business has been so good that the company is finishing a new 10-story building with open floors the size of soccer fields, planted with row after row of sewing machines.

??Our family needed the money, so we came here,?? said Maasuda Akthar, a 21-year-old sewing machine operator for DBL.

As costs have risen in China, long the world??s shop floor, it is slowly losing work to countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam and Cambodia ? at least for cheaper, labor-intensive goods like casual clothes, toys and simple electronics that do not necessarily require literate workers and can tolerate unreliable transportation systems and electrical grids.

Li & Fung, a Hong Kong company that handles sourcing and apparel manufacturing for companies like Wal-Mart and Liz Claiborne, reported that its production in Bangladesh jumped 20 percent last year, while China, its biggest supplier, slid 5 percent.

??Bangladesh is getting very competitive,?? William Fung, Li & Fung??s group managing director, told analysts in March.

The flow of jobs to poorer countries like Bangladesh started even before recent labor unrest in China led to big pay raises for many factory workers there ? and before changes in Beijing??s currency policy that could also raise the costs of Chinese exports. Now, though, economists expect the migration of China??s low-paying jobs to accelerate.

And while workers in Bangladesh and other developing countries are demanding higher pay, too ? leading to a clash between police and protesters earlier this week in a garment hub outside Dhaka ? they still earn much less than Chinese factory workers.

Bangladesh, for instance, has the lowest garment wages in the world, according to labor rights advocates. Ms. Akthar, who is relatively well paid by local standards, earns about $64 a month. That compares to minimum wages in China??s coastal industrial provinces ranging from $117 to $147 a month.

??The Chinese firms that are beginning to get into trouble are producing textiles, rubber footwear and things like that,?? said Barry Eichengreen, a professor of economics and political science at the University of California. ??And there are lots of countries in South Asia and East Asia and in Central America that would like to fill this space.??

But Bangladesh has its own challenges to overcome.

China??s combination of a vast population of migrant workers, many with at least elementary school educations, along with modern roads, railways and power grids in its industrial provinces, has bestowed it with manufacturing capabilities that countries like Bangladesh cannot offer. Beijing also provides low-cost loans and other incentives to its industries that other countries have trouble matching for theirs.

Most of Bangladesh, meanwhile, suffers blackouts six to seven hours a day because it has not invested enough in power plants and natural gas fields ? deficiencies that the government is working on but that will not be eliminated quickly.

The country has a literacy rate of only 55 percent ? compared with more than 92 percent in China. As a result, workers in this country are only one-fourth as productive as the Chinese in making shirts, jackets and other woven clothes, according to a report by the Center for Policy Dialogue, an independent research organization based in Dhaka.

Despite its handicaps, Bangladesh nearly doubled garment exports from 2004 to 2009. And the industry now employs about three million people, more than any other industrial segment in this largely agrarian country of 160 million. From June through November last year, garment exports accounted for more than 80 percent of the country??s total exports of $7.1 billion.

Among developing countries, Bangladesh is the third-biggest exporter of clothing after mainland China, which exported $120 billion in 2008, and Turkey, a distant No. 2, according to the World Trade Organization.

And with nearly 70 million people of working age, Bangladesh could probably absorb many more of China??s 20 million garment industry jobs.

Still, some of the changes in China could prove to be mixed blessings for Bangladesh. If China allows its currency, the renminbi, to trade more freely, Bangladeshi exports would become more competitive.

But a stronger renminbi could also hurt Bangladesh by raising the price of machinery and fabric imported from China, its biggest supplier, said Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak, an assistant professor of economics at the Yale School of Management. Over time, Bangladesh could buy more from other countries, like India, but those countries first would need to build up significant production capacity.
And as in China, workers in Bangladesh have started demanding higher pay. In recent weeks, labor protests have periodically shut down garment factories as thousands of workers battled police in Dhaka and other garment hubs like Gazipur. Late last month, police clashed with about 15,000 protesters on a busy Dhaka street lined with garment factories. In one exchange, a clutch of protesters lobbed bricks at police officers from an alley opposite the Outright Fashion factory, before fleeing as the officers charged at them with batons, tear gas canisters and the hot, colored water used to both disperse protesters and mark them for later identification.

Garment workers are demanding a 200 percent increase in the minimum wage, to 5,000 taka (about $71) a month ? which is how much workers with several years of experience now earn. The government, which plans to announce a new minimum wage soon, last increased it in 2006, to 1,662.50 taka (about $24). Since then, inflation has been as high as 9.9 percent a year.

??Most garment workers live in slum areas where one room costs 2,000 to 3,000 taka,?? said Mushrefa Mishu, president of the Garment Workers?? Unity Forum, an association that claims to represent more than 60,000 members.

Labor leaders want the government to make it easier for workers to form unions ? very few factories are unionized today ? and to require higher safety standards and better working conditions.

In January, H&M, Wal-Mart, Gap, Tesco and other Western clothing buyers asked the Bangladeshi government to raise the minimum wage and reset it every year, although the group did not specify what the wage should be. A spokeswoman for H&M, Malin Bjorne, said the company was willing to pay more for clothing to help support higher wages. It is unclear whether other companies would do the same.

But factory owners here argue that a big increase in wages would make them uncompetitive against Vietnam and other big producers, which have higher labor costs but also have better infrastructure and are more efficient producers. If that happened, Bangladesh??s China opportunity could prove all too fleeting, they say.

??If it??s 5,000 taka, I would close all my factories,?? said Anisul Huq, a former head of the Bangladeshi garment industry??s trade group and a factory owner whose customers include H&M and Wal-Mart. ??Even if it??s 3,000 taka, lots of factories will close within three or four months.??

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“Improvement in trade relations with the North-East India could even take Bangladesh up to China,” said Mani Shankar Aiyar, former Indian minister for development of the North-East Region, while speaking at a meeting in the city.

He made the comments at a meeting between visiting Indian business delegation and India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) at a city hotel.

IBCCI Chairman Abul Matlub Ahmad presided over the meeting while Rajeet Mitter, Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh, Kiren Rijiju, principal secretary to the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Dr K C Nihoshe, parliamentary secretary of Nagaland, spoke on the occasion.

The 38-member business team led by Mr Aiyar is now in Bangladesh on a five-day tour, which will also take them to port city Chittagong.

During the trip, the delegation will hold talks with Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Board of Investment and Ministry of Commerce.

Top businessmen from the sectors of information technology, shipbuilding, construction materials, apparels, power, pulp, tourism, airlines, telecoms, fast-moving consumer goods, agricultural products and health care consist of the delegation.

Aiyar said Bangladesh prime minister’s successful visit to India in January this year opened up unprecedented opportunities for intensified cooperation and economic integration between Bangladesh and the North-East and Eastern India.

He said until the partition of 1947 the North-East regions were prosperous, but now the region progresses at half the pace of the rest of India.

Aiyar, also a former petroleum minister, said the Indian government has earmarked 10 per cent of the national development budget for the underdeveloped region. “We have already spent 2.0 trillion Indian rupees out of 14 trillion rupees planned for infrastructure development in the region.”

“This however has opened up new opportunity for investment for Bangladesh in the region. The North-East India offers Dhaka an important opportunity for expanding market and investment,” he said admitting that balance of trade between the two countries is grievously out of equilibrium from the Bangladesh’s point of view.

He said during the 1965 India-Pakistan War trade between the then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, and India was undisrupted. “Now there is an ebb. The historical economic relations can be restored if Bangladesh can exploit market in North-East India.”

“Opportunity is now knocking at the door and Bangladesh has to grab it,” Aiyar said.

K C Nihoshe said although small-scale insurgency exists in Nagaland, the separatists’ activities are limited to rural areas. “There is nothing to fear. Bangladeshi industrialists and businessmen can come up and invest in the province as we welcome both internal and external investments.”

Kiren Rijiju said without Bangladesh the North-East India is cut off from the rest of the world.

He said the central Indian government should integrate Bangladesh into their thoughts when they think about development of the North-East India. “This will help the region prosper. Bangladesh needs India and vice versa to achieve sustainable economic growth.”

Abul Matlub Ahmad said Bangladeshi industrialists are now mature to invest in large economies such as India and Turkey in the world. “Time has come for us to invest outside the country and bring back billions of dollars in profit remittance. We would like to request the government to allow us to invest overseas.”

He said the five-day tour of the Indian delegation will provide a unique opportunity to build and foster better economic ties between the two countries.

During the trip, at least eight joint ventures will be signed, the IBCCI chief said.

Rajeet Mitter said this tour would open up a window of cooperation between the two neighbouring countries. “Since the summit between the two leaders various steps have been taken to take the initiative forward.”

Former ambassador Farooq Sobhan, IBCCI vice-president Dewan Sultan Ahmed and directors of IBCCI were present during the meeting

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Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping will pay an official visit to Bangladesh on June 14-15 at the invitation of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina .

Since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1975, the bilateral ties had embraced smooth and healthy development, Ambassador Zhang Xianyi said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

China and Bangladesh established a comprehensive cooperative partnership in 2005, featuring long-term friendship, equality and mutual benefits, Zhang said.

“During Hasina’s visit to China in March, the two sides decided to set up and develop closer comprehensive cooperative partnership from the strategic perspective and on the basis of the principles of longstanding friendship, equality, and mutual benefit,” he said.
Zhang said China and Bangladesh were facing historical tasks of developing their economy, eliminating poverty and improving people’s livelihoods.

“The two countries share the same or similar opinions on many international issues,” he said.

The past 35 years have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries as well as exchanges between parliaments, political parties, local governments and non-governmental organizations, he said.

The exchanges between the two countries had contributed to strengthening bilateral ties and deepening the friendship between the two peoples, the ambassador said.

Trade volume between China and Bangladesh increased to 4.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2008 from 3.1 billion dollars in 2006, but it slipped to 4.58 billion dollars in 2009 due to the international financial crisis.

“Bilateral trade may exceed 5 billion dollars this year,” Zhang said.
Bangladesh had a big trade deficit with China, he said. “To trim the trade gap, China sends purchasing groups every year to Bangladesh to explore potentials of its markets.”

“The Chinese government will cut tariffs on 4,721 Bangladeshi products to zero from July 1, which cover almost all the country’s products with export advantages,” he said.

China had helped Bangladesh build six bridges and one conference center, which had become symbols of the friendship between the two countries, he said.

“The Chinese government has agreed to help Bangladesh to build a seventh bridge, another exhibition center and two primary schools,” he said.

The Bangladeshi government is also committed to improving its investment environment, despite the energy crisis, the ambassador said, adding he was confident of its sound investment environment if the energy shortage was eased.
Meanwhile, people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries were very active, Zhang said. “China offers dozens of scholarships to Bangladeshi students every year, and about 100 opportunities for people working in different areas in Bangladesh to be trained in China.”

China and Bangladesh will exchange art groups to celebrate their 35th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations this year, he said.

A group of Chinese medical experts would also visit Bangladesh to offer free medical treatments to the country’s cataract patients, he said.

The two countries were discussing cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health and climate change, Zhang said.

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‘Union minister of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Bijoy Krishna Handique held separate meetings during the past few days in New Delhi with the ambassadors and diplomats of ASEAN countries including Thailand and Myanmar,’ a senior Tripura government official told IANS.

Referring to a DoNER ministry communique, the official said that both the northeastern states and the ASEAN countries would benefit from trade and economic activities between the two regions.

Recently the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) issued a notification allowing more commodities for trade along the Myanmar border.

‘In addition to the 21 commodities, 18 more items have been allowed for trade between India and Myanmar,’ the official added.

The additional commodities which can be traded between the two neighbours include bicycle parts, life-saving drugs, fertilizers, spices, sugar, salt and stainless steel utensils.

‘Industry ministers of northeastern states during a meeting in Guwahati last week with union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma also emphasised the need for boosting trade, economy and tourism between the northeastern region and the ASEAN countries,’ the official added.

‘As part of initiatives to improve connectivity between northeast India and Southeast Asia, the union government is considering a rail link from Manipur to Vietnam. Efforts are underway to have a rail link from Jiribam (close to the Assam border) to Hanoi in Vietnam passing through Myanmar,’ the official stated.

?mproved connectivity between the northeast and the southeast asian countries will not only help the region discover a larger market but also integrate India with these countries.

India’s northeast region is contiguous to China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Tripura industry minister Jitendra Chowdhury told IANS Monday: ‘The Bangladesh government is developing infrastructure along the border with northeast India to give a further impetus to bilateral trade. India is also taking similar steps.’

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“But our main competitors like China, India, Vietnam and Cambodia reduced prices to keep themselves competitive in the U.S.A market,” Anwarul told reporters at a news briefing.

The United States is Bangladesh’s biggest market for its ready-made garment exports, which totalled $3.3 billion in 2009.

Prices for Bangladesh-made garments increased 2.32 percent in 2009 while Cambodia’s prices dropped 6.59 percent, China’s fell 12.44 percent, India’s dipped 4.68 percent and prices of garments from Vietnam dived 12.42 percent.

Anwarul said that competing countries offered lower prices after their governments provided stimulus last year unlike Bangladesh’s government which, he said, failed to take timely decisions in the face of the global recession.

Vietnam and Pakistan devalued their currencies nearly 30 percent in 2009 while India devalued about 28 percent and cut interest rates, Anwarul said.

China, the largest apparel maker in the world, withdrew value added tax during the global economic downturn.

Anwarul said if the government spent only $210 million, local apparel makers would be able to reduce export prices by up to 3 percent.
Ready-made garments account for 80 percent of Bangladesh’s total annual exports while the sector employs about 3 million people, mostly women.

Bangladesh has set this fiscal year’s (July 2009-June 2010) export target at $17.6 billion, 13 percent above last year.

Exports rose 10.3 percent to $15.56 billion in the 2008/09 fiscal year, the lowest growth in six years.

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Bangladesh :
The Asian Development Bank said Tuesday that Bangladesh’s economic growth will dip to 5.5 percent for the fiscal year ending in June from 5.9 percent the previous year due to weak textile exports and fewer Bangladeshis working abroad.

Growth should recover to 6.3 percent in fiscal year 2011 if the global recovery continues and domestic business confidence and investment strengthen, the bank said in a report.

“As the global economy is recovering from recession, Bangladesh will benefit in the near future,” said M. Zahid Hossain, chief of the bank’s program in Dhaka, at a news conference.

The number of Bangladeshis going abroad for work fell by 42.2 percent in the eight months through February from a year earlier, Hossain said.

Bangladesh usually earns about $10 billion a year from textile exports, mainly to the United States and Europe, while Bangladeshi workers overseas send home another $10 billion.

Almost half of the country’s 150 million people live on less than $1 a day and natural disasters like cyclones and floods have battered its agriculture and dilapidated infrastructure.

The ADB said Bangladesh needs to improve power and gas supplies, while tackling inflation will be another front to confront for better economic growth in 2011. It forecast inflation at 7.5 percent in 2010 and said it might rise to 7.8 percent in 2011.

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In such mental mood we cann,t consider such a news like ” Bangladesh shuts fertilizer factories for lack of gas”
Bangladesh shut five fertiliser factories on Saturday to save nearly 250 million cubic feet (mmcft) of natural gas a day in the face of acute electricity shortages, a senior official said.
“The gas will be diverted to different power plants to produce more 500 megawatts of electricity,” said Mohammad Hossain Monsur, chairman of the state-run Bangladesh Oil, Gas & Mineral Corporation or Petrobangla.

The country faces up to 300 mmcft gas and up to 1,500 mw of electricity shortages a day.

“The step will help to improve the electricity supply situation,” Monsur told reporters.

Last month the ministry of energy and power decided to stop gas supply to these factories and that would continue till the end of current irrigation season in June for Boro rice crop.

Bangladesh’s annual urea demand is around 3.0 million tonnes, of which the country produces 1.8 million tonnes and imports the rest, mainly from China, Tunisia, Australia and a number of Gulf countries.

Short supply of fertilizer often trigger violent protest by farmers.

In 2006 six people were killed and dozens injured in clashes between police and farmers over the urea shortage, in the country’s north.

Industries Minister Dilip Barua ruled out the possibility of fertilizer scarcity in the country following temporary closure of the fertilizer factories.

“Bangladesh will not face any shortages of urea as the country now has a stock of 500,000 tonnes of urea, almost double the quantity compared with last year,” he told reporters.
…………………..
What should we do ? What initiative can be taken in urgent basis? What is the policy makers strength on the policy that can overcome the situations immidiately.

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China and Bangladesh signed a series of agreements on oil, gas, mineral and agricultural cooperation during a four-day official visit to China by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The two countries issued a joint statement in Beijing on Friday, in which both sides agreed to build a “closer comprehensive partnership of cooperation” to better contribute to regional and world peace and counter global challenges.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of China-Bangladesh diplomatic ties. The two countries would hold commemorative activities in Beijing and Dhaka to further enhance bilateral friendship, the statement said.

While maintaining high-level contacts and political ties, the two countries planned to take active measures to expand bilateral trade, ease the trade imbalance and enhance cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, transportation and infrastructure.

China is to provide preferential tariff treatment to more Bangladeshi products, while Bangladesh would encourage more enterprises to participate in the Shanghai World Expo and other commodity fairs in China to boost exports, the statement said.

The two countries also signed agreements on a concessional loan offered by China to Bangladesh and the construction of the seventh Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge at Kajirtek.

Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Wu Bangguo (R) meets with visiting Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Beijing,

The two countries would carry out cooperation in hybrid rice cultivation technology, farm products processing and technical personnel training, according to the statement.

Moreover, both sides decided to strengthen cooperation on flood control, disaster alleviation, water resources management and hydrological data sharing, it said.

Bangladesh hoped China would launch a communications satellite for Bangladesh in the near future and China expressed interest in cooperating, said the statement.

A team of Chinese medical experts would visit Bangladesh to offer free medical treatment to cataract patients. China agreed to increase the number of scholarships to Bangladeshi students.

The Bangladeshi side reiterated the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing China, and Taiwan and Tibet are inalienable parts of Chinese territory, said the statement.

During her stay in Beijing, Hasina met with President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo, and held official talks with Premier Wen Jiabao. Leaders of both countries discussed ways to boost bilateral cooperation and collective initiatives to counter global challenges such as climate change

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]]> http://gurumia.com/2010/03/19/closer-co-op-with-deals-on-gas-agriculture-china-babgladesh/feed/ 0 http://gurumia.com/2010/03/18/china-bangladesh-relation-upgradations/ http://gurumia.com/2010/03/18/china-bangladesh-relation-upgradations/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:08:23 +0000 guru http://gurumia.com/?p=3542 Bangladesh on Thursday signed three accords with China aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of economy, technology and infrastructure.

In addition, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on oil and energy cooperation.
Beijing has assured Dhaka of extending duty-free access for Bangladeshi products to the Chinese market.

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao made the assurance at official talks with prime minister Sheikh Hasina at the Great Hall in Beijing on Thursday evening.

Bangladesh is supposed to have duty-free access for around 90 products to China under a SAPTA (SAARC Preferential Trading Agreement) agreement signed in Bangkok in 2006. But the 90 items do not include Bangladesh’s main export items.

The prime minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told journalists after the talks that the two leaders discussed bilateral, regional and international issues.

During the talks, Wen Jiabao said he hoped the two countries would enhance cooperation for safeguarding peace, stability and development of South Asia.

Azad said Hasina requested her Chinese counterpart to extend financial support for development projects, cooperation for power and agricultural sector, and technical assistance for achieving the development targets, and the Jiabao assured her of offering the support and assistance.

During the talks, Bangladesh signed three accords and a memorandum of understanding with China for cooperation in economy, technology, infrastructure and energy.

The three accords are: Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement, Framework Agreement on Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory, and the Agreement on the 7th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge.

They were signed during the official talks between the visiting Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao at the Great Hall in Beijing, foreign minister Dipu Moni told journalists.

Dipu Moni, industries minister Dilip Barua and communications minister Syed Abul Hossain signed the accords and ambassador to China Munshi Faiz Ahmad signed the MoUs on behalf of Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina, now in the capital on a five-day visit to China, started her official talks with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao at around 6pm (local time) at the Great Hall.

Besides, the two prime ministers discussed a number of projects, including the Chittagong-Kunming railway and road links through Myanmar, second Padma Bridge, deep seaport in Chittagong, eighth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, capacity-building in agriculture, telecommunications and solar energy.

Hasina sought enhanced Chinese investment in Bangladesh that might contribute to reducing the trade gap, now heavily in favour of China.

Later in the eveing, she is expected to attend a banquet hosted by Wen.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina arrived at Beijing Wednesday midnight (local time) on a Biman Bangladesh airline flight.

Chinese assistant foreign minister for South Asia, Hu Zhengyue, received her at the airport.

The Bangladesh PM is expected to meet with Chinese president Hu Jintao and National People’s Congress Chairman Wu Bangguo on Friday.

The PM will address a meeting of Chinese and Bangladeshi businessmen people Friday morning.

She is expected to visit Kunming during the visit. The capital of Yunan province will serve as one end of the proposed trans-border road and rail link with China connecting Kunming with Chittagong through Myanmar.

China and Bangladesh Thursday agreed to set up closer ties of comprehensive cooperative partnership.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and visiting Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached the agreement after their talks in Beijing.

Wen said the two nations always supported each other in major issues concerning national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of China-Bangladesh diplomatic ties. Wen said China would work with the country to expand cooperation and push forward bilateral relations.

Wen hoped that the two nations would enhance high-level exchanges and strengthen consultations, in a bid to safeguard peace, stability and development of South Asia.

China and Bangladesh should also make efforts to expand bilateral trade. Wen said the Chinese government supported its domestic companies investing in Bangladesh, and joining in the construction of transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure.

Wen proposed the two nations increase cooperation in agriculture, poverty reduction and disaster relief, saying that China would continue assisting Bangladesh economically and technologically.

Wen hoped the two nations would enhance cultural exchanges, and make joint efforts to safeguard the fundamental interests of developing countries in major issues related to the United Nations reform and climate change.

Hasina spoke highly of China’s achievements in social progress, and expressed appreciation for China’s support to her country’s economic and social development.

Bangladesh would work with China to promote cooperation in agriculture, tourism and infrastructure construction, and to enhance coordination in major international and regional issues, she said.

The prime minister reiterated her country’s firm adherence to the one-China policy.

The two prime ministers witnessed the signing of four bilateral documents on economic and technological cooperation, preferential loans, bridge building and natural gas cooperation.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Bangladesh counterpart Dipu Moni Thursday afternoon to discuss bilateral ties and issues of common concern.

Hasina is in China on an official visit from March 17 to 21 at the invitation of Premier Wen.

Foreign minister Dipu Moni, communications minister Syed Abul Hossain, industries minister Dilip Barua and state minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Dipankar Talukdar are accompanying the prime minister.

Besides a 16-member government delegation, another delegation of eminent citizens, businesspersons and journalists were also included in Hasina’s entourage.

Hasina is scheduled to return home on March 21.

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]]> http://gurumia.com/2010/03/18/china-bangladesh-relation-upgradations/feed/ 0 http://gurumia.com/2010/03/17/pm-sheikh-hasina-starts-today-for-china/ http://gurumia.com/2010/03/17/pm-sheikh-hasina-starts-today-for-china/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:05:06 +0000 guru http://gurumia.com/2010/03/17/pm-sheikh-hasina-starts-today-for-china/ China always carry the Friendly support to Bangladesh .Sheikh Hasina will leave Dhaka for Beijing this afternoon for a five-day visit at the invitation of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. This is her first visit to China since Awami League-led government assumed office in January 2009.
Bangladesh will seek around $2.2 billion assistance from China for its 12 projects for infrastructure development and setting up of a fertiliser factory during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit.
The projects include construction of Second Padma Bridge at an estimated cost of $579 million, Karnaphuli Tunnel at a cost of $289 million, single line metre-gauge railway track from Chittagong to Gundum near Myanmar border at a cost of $210 million, Second Meghna-Gomti Bridge at a cost of $125 million, a railway bridge with a dual-gauge double track over the river Jamuna at a cost of $172 million and Kazirtek Bridge over Arialkha river at an estimated cost of $22 million.
?We hope the Chinese authorities would consider some of the projects, if not all,? Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain told The Daily Star yesterday. He said discussions would also take place about the purchases of passenger carriages and commuter trains.
During the talks, Bangladesh will also seek financial assistance for setting up the Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory Limited at an estimated cost of $600 million. Earlier the government in the face of growing demand for fertiliser decided to set up the factory in Fenchuganj.
Hasina will hold official talks with the Chinese premier tomorrow at the Great Hall where she will be given a formal reception. The next day Hasina will hold a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues.
Hasina will also meet the Chairman of China’s National People’s Congress. On her way back Hasina will fly to Kunming to see for herself the proposed Chittagong-Kunming road and railway links.
Construction of a regional highway by linking Kunming with Chittagong via Myanmar will get priority during the visit. Aiming to establish the connectivity, Bangladesh has already constructed a road up to Gundum border.
Three agreements are expected to be signed between the two countries during the trip. The agreements are: Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement, Framework Agreement on Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory and Agreement on Seventh Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge.
Sources in the prime minister’s office said Bangladesh would seek Chinese support to resolve bilateral issues with Myanmar like settling maritime boundary and Rohingya repatriation.
Dhaka may request Beijing to help Bangladesh build the planned deep-sea port. Purchase of military hardware from China may also come up in the discussion, they hinted.
They said Bangladesh might also place some specific proposals, including increasing investment in Bangladesh and allowing duty-free excess of more goods to Chinese market, in an attempt to reduce the existing huge trade imbalance of $3.5 billion.
The high-profile visit is considered as a very significant step in boosting economic ties between the two countries.
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain, Industries Minister Dilip Barua, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Dipankar Talukdar will be in the 16-member official delegation. Some eminent citizens, a business delegation and AL leaders will also accompany her.

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