Time Digital News: DHAKA, Bangladesh (August 30, 2022): Chinese Counselor in Culture & Education Affairs at the country’s embassy in Bangladesh, Liwen Yue, at a webinar in capital Dhaka today (Tuesday) said that the seeds of friendly ties between China and Bangladesh was planted by Bangladesh’s founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Chinese founding premier Zhou Enlai.
Association of Bangladesh China Alumni (ABCA) organized the webinar entitled "Celebrating the life of Bangabandhu: Early contacts between Bangabandhu and Premier Zhou Enlai-precursor of Bangladesh- China partnership."
Recalling the role of Bangabandhu for the emancipation of the Bangladeshi people and the outstanding role of former Chinese premier Zhou Enlai, Yue said: “We pay great tribute to both great leaders”.
Zhou Enlai (5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, who was China's head of government and served the nation from October 1949 until his death in January 1976.
“We look forward and will make new contributions to further consolidate and strengthen friendly relations between Bangladesh and China in all arenas including culture and education,” Yue said.
Analyzing the basis of good relations between Bangabandhu and Enlai, he added that both pioneers created an environment of love and support to each other for the greater interest of the entire region.
“Both had a common vision of saving the country and making progress with a big goal of revitalizing the nations. They truly educated themselves and their people,” Yue noted.
He promised that the friendship planted between the two countries by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zhou Enlai would be continued and strengthened in future. “We will water and nurture it. It will grow stronger in the future”.
The relations between the two countries actually started long before the formal diplomatic relations 47 years ago. “Be supportive to each other and make progress,” he said as the policy of both countries.
Recalling the speech of Bangladeshi premier Sheikh Hasina in July last year on the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, he added that Hasina promised to push ahead the strategic partnership between China and Bangladesh to a new height.
We need to work together to address the regional and global issues for peace, security, stability and development, he quoted Hasina as saying.
The webinar was chaired by Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad, President of ABCA while the association’s general secretary Professor Dr. Shahabul Haque delivered the welcome address. Dr. Md Abul Kausar Shapon presented the keynote at the webinar and Dr. Syed Anwar Hossain, Bangobondhu Chair, and Professor of Bangladesh University of Professionals, attended the function as chief guest.
Underlining the topic as very interesting and investigating, Hossain said that Bangabandhu was very eager to build up the relationship with China as he felt that for the progress of the country Bangladesh had many things to achieve from Chinese experiences.
He said that both leaders were born in critical times of their respective periods and they devoted their whole life for the interest of their countries.
Professor Hossain, however, underlined the field of agriculture as one of the key sectors for Bangladesh to learn from China.
At the concluding speech and address as the chairperson, Munshi Faiz Ahmad added that Bangabandhu visited so many countries. But he wrote the book only with his experience of visiting China "Amar Dekha Naya China (A Visit to New China)".
“Actually, the father of the nation understood that for the progress of the war-torn and new nation Bangladesh, the experiences of China were very vital,” Ahmad viewed.
Dr. M. Asraful Alam, Associate Professor, School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, China and Md. Shamsul Haque, Advisor, Association of Bangladesh China Alumni (ABCA) also spoke at the webinar while people from different professions attended as listeners. Dr. A. A. M. Muzahid and Maruf Hasan, Joint Secretary, Dr. Md. Rasadujjaman, Finance Secretary and Dr. Md. Shibly Noman, Office secretary of Association of Bangladesh China Alumni (ABCA) also attended this webinar.
