BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke at a press conference at BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office today. Photo : BSS

DHAKA, June 30, 2025 (BSS) - BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said China is eager to work deeply with the elected government.

“China has expressed the hope that the elected government will work with greater determination, sincerity, love, and affection,” he told a press conference at BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office here following a 5-day visit to China of a BNP delegation.

Fakhrul said during the visit, the BNP has expressed its firm stance on the one-China policy. 

“Overall, through this visit, we have got the opportunity to further improve and deepen the existing friendly relations between the two countries, which we are hopeful will be firmly established in the days to come,” he said.

Asked about China's attitude towards returning Bangladesh to a democratic process, the BNP Secretary General replied bluntly, "I have seen it very positively. They have expressed interest in the elected government."

He mentioned that they had discussed status of a large number of Rohingya people, who took shelter in Bangladesh and their return for a long time.

"We have called upon China to play a greater and more effective role in the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Rohingya citizens from Myanmar's Rakhine State," said Fakhrul.

"In the discussions, they (China) have said that they are working on this issue with great interest and sincerity. They are trying to convince the Myanmar government to start this return process very soon," he said.

On June 22, at the invitation of the Communist Party of China, a 9-member high-level delegation of the party led by the BNP Secretary General visited China. 

During the visit, the BNP delegation met with the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) in Beijing at the ‘Great Hall of the People’ and with Li Hongsong, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Sun Haiyan, Vice-Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

The BNP Secretary General also met with Sung Weidong, Vice-Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The BNP delegation visited BYD, the electric vehicle manufacturer, Hi-Tech Technology Park, Jiangtong University in Jiangxi Province, the capital of Xi’an Province, held bilateral meetings with the Communist Party of China in Xi’an Province, and visited a model village in Xi’an City.

BNP believes in one-China policy:

Fakhrul said BNP believes in one-China policy. “We have never deviated from one-China policy. A Taiwanese trade center was opened here (in Dhaka) for a few days. Then it was removed. We believe in one-China policy. We have told you this repeatedly.”

“China is interested enough that we maintain good relations with our neighbors,” he mentioned.

Noting that China's positive view on the Teesta project, he said, "We have discussed the Teesta project and explained our needs. China has responded positively to it. They are working on it. We have told them that if they make a proposal, we will definitely look at it positively if we ever come to power in the future."

In response to a question on the China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Fakhrul said, "Many works have already been done and if there is any work and if the Bangladesh government and Bangladesh think that those works will be positive for Bangladesh, then it will undoubtedly be considered."

Highlighting the content of the meeting with the Communist Party of China, the BNP secretary general said, "Our party's position on the One China Policy has been unequivocally stated. In addition, China's amazing progress and international growth under the leadership of President Xi Jinping and the positivity of its Belt and Road Initiative have been expressed with dignity and respect on our part."

In this meeting, BNP called for China to play a greater role in Bangladesh's infrastructure development, digital technology, semiconductors, renewable energy, medical and healthcare, higher education, communications, modern agricultural technology, SME business, blue economy and advanced technology transfer.

BNP Secretary General said that in the meeting with the CPC, Politbureau Member Li Hongsong invited BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to visit China and China expressed optimism about starting a new program with an elected government soon.

Fakhrul said, "Marking the golden jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic relations, we look forward to seeing more practical examples of this, so that it can be further strengthened through cultural and tourist exchanges, and technology transfer between us."

He said, "On our part, we have called for cooperation in the spirit of development and prosperity, while upholding mutual dignity, where the priority of the people and public welfare is at the highest level. At the same time, we have respectfully congratulated China's position on behalf of the oppressed in view of the changing regional and geopolitical situation and have called for its comprehensive visibility."

The BNP Secretary General said that the construction of the Bangladesh-China Friendship Hospital, practical steps to preserve and increase export opportunities for agricultural products produced in the northern part of the country, facilitating the treatment of Bangladeshi patients in four specialized hospitals in Kunming, and initiatives to establish international land communication between China and Bangladesh were discussed prominently.

Noting that the Communist Party of China has proposed signing of a two-year political Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), he said, "We have accepted this as a positive gesture."

The BNP Secretary General expressed gratitude to the Communist Party of China, the party's International Department and the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka for organizing the China visit.

BNP Standing Committee Members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Selima Rahman, Chairperson's Advisory Council Member Ismail Zabihullah, Prof. Sukomal Barua, Zahir Uddin Swapan, Media Cell Convener Moudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel and Chairperson's Private Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar were present at the press conference.