Khasru seeks more Chinese investment; support to ‘blue economy’

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GUIYANG, China, Sept 11, 2019 (BSS) – Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Abdul Matin Khasru, who is leading a 20-member high-level delegation in China, has sought more Chinese investment in Bangladesh alongside Chinese assistance to tap the country’s ‘blue economy’.

He also sought Chinese support to strengthen Bangladesh’s railway sector and explore natural resources at the Bay of Bengal.

Khasru, also the Parliamentary Standing Committee Chairman on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, requested China to provide more scholarships for the Bangladeshi students in the fields of medical , ICT and environment science.

He came up with the request when the AL delegation met the member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guizhou Provincial Committee and also the head of the Party Organization Department of CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee Li Yifei at Guizhou Park Hotel on Tuesday evening.

Other senior CPC provincial leaders were present at the meeting.

During the meeting, the AL Presidium member proposed exchange of expertise, experiences and knowledge on poverty alleviation, environmental protection for the mutual benefits of the two countries as well as sought Chinese assistance to further strengthen the operations of the countrywide community clinics.

Turning to the repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar, Khasru said since Bangladesh is a densely populated country, it can not afford anymore to keep these Rohingyas.

He urged again the Chinese government to mount pressure on Myanmar so that they take back their own Rohingya nationals in their country with safety, security, dignity and citizenship.

“Please convey this message to the central government and the central leaders of CPC. Our people and economy are also being affected due to this Rohingya problem to some extent and we can’t keep the Rohingyas for an uncertain period,” he said.

Khasru said the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been giving maximum emphasis to ‘Blue Economy’ where China could help Bangladesh with their expertise while it could also come forward and help Bangladesh to explore its untapped huge natural resources like oil and gas at the Bay of Bengal.

Noting that China is one of the Bangladesh’s major development partners, he said that the relationship of Bangladesh and China is strengthening day by day.

“We have people to people relationship with China, now we want to have enhance party to party like CPC-AL ties,” he said.

Highlighting the farsighted steps of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to build a hunger-and-poverty-free Bangladesh, Khasru, also the former Law Minister, said the AL government is establishing some 100 special economic zones across the country where China can set up more industries and thus create employments.

The AL delegation also invited the Guizhou Provincial Committee of CPC to visit Bangladesh.

Standing Committee member of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee Li Yifei said the Guizhou Province, now the 3rd fastest growing province of China, is willing to increase its cooperation with Bangladesh in different sectors.

“We’ll continue to enhance exchanges between the government, party and people of the two countries,” he said.

Li also mentioned that Bangladesh is enjoying a thriving development under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina while the people of Bangladesh are enjoying a better life.

Earlier in the day on Tuesday, the AL delegation visited the memorial hall of Zunyi Conference and the neighborhood Committee of Majiawan Community.

The AL delegation members including AL Information and Research Secretary Md Afzal Husain, AL Science and Technology Secretary Md Abdus Sabur, AL Youth and Sports Secretary Harunur Rashid, AL Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam, AL Central Executive Committee members Dipankar Talukder, MP, Mohammad Amirul Alam Milon, Md Azmatullah Khan, ABM Reazul Kabir Kawsar, Md Rofiqur Rahman, Basanti Chakma, MP, AL International Affairs Sub Committee Members Dr Salim Mahmud and Tarun Kanti Das, AL Dhaka City Unit leaders Nazmul Alam Bhuiyan Jewel and Kamal Choudhury were present in all the programmes.

The AL delegation this morning (Wednesday) visited the Guizhou Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Area Exhibition Center and Guizhou E-Commerce Could Operating Company Ltd where the advancement of Guizhou province in ICT was highlighted before the AL delegation.

The AL delegation will depart here for home this afternoon after wrapping its eight-day tour at the invitation of CPC.