Trade, river, Rohingya issues on agenda as Bangladesh’s Yunus begins China trip

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Trade, river and Rohingya issues are on the agenda as Bangladesh transitional government head Muhammad Yunus initiated a four-day visit to China on Wednesday.

Yunus will have a meeting with President Xi Jinping, as well as with the CEOs of major Chinese business corporations since he has taken the first bilateral visit since he took office last August.

“Through this visit, our two countries' relationship will become even closer,” Yunus said in an address to the nation on Tuesday.

The two leaders will also discuss the Teesta River and Rohingya issue--said Bangladesh foreign ministry as it sees China as one of key mediators to resolve the Rohingya crisis and their repatriation to Myanmar.

Bangladesh is hosting over 1.2 million Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar who fled a Myanmar crackdown in 2017.

China, Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, exported $22.9 billion in goods to Bangladesh in 2023. Bangladesh, however, exported $677 million to China that year.

Furthermore, Bangladesh sees the visit as “very important” amid a discomfort with close border neighbor India.

Both countries developed bitter relations and border tensions soon after the India-friendly Awami League government resigned in a mass uprising on Aug. 5 and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country.

Since India has restricted giving visas to Bangladeshis except for some medical emergencies, China sees more Bangladeshi patients.

With this development, China has designated three top-tier hospitals in its Yunnan Province to receive Bangladeshi patients.

Yunus' trip to China comes a day after the US Army's Pacific deputy commander Lt. Gen. Joel P. Vowell visited Bangladesh where he met military officials, including Bangladesh army chief Gen. Waker-Uz-Zaman.

Reinforcing the US Army’s commitment to a strong relationship, Vowell highlighted the collaboration, including the potential acquisition of US-origin equipment to enhance interoperability and capabilities.