Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan on Thursday told a senior leader of the Communist Party of China that if his party was elected to power in the next election, it would sign an agreement with China to implement the Teesta River water management project.
鈥榊our [Chinese] ambassador in Dhaka has recently made a clear proposal to assist us in developing a project for managing the water of our Teesta River,鈥� he said during a meeting between a Bangladesh delegation and CPC deputy secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee Xing Shanping.
Moyeen said thgat the Chinese envoy had sincerely made the offer for the welfare of thousands of people living along the riverbanks.
鈥極n our behalf, I tell you that if the people of Bangladesh elect us to government in the next election, we will be very happy to sign a deal to receive your support in developing a complete Teesta Barrage,鈥� he said.
The delegation, led by BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, attended the meeting and later joined a bouquet hosted by the CPC leader at a hotel in the province.
On Tuesday, the 21-member 鈥榰nique鈥� delegation, consisting of leaders from eight political parties, including the BNP, travelled to China for an 11-day visit at the invitation of the CPC.
鈥楢 stable government will be established through the polls, which will be able to sign the deal and execute the project,鈥� Moyeen told the meeting.
He emphasised that China鈥檚 assistance in the Teesta project could serve as a concrete example of how it could help Bangladesh modernise its agriculture by improving the irrigation system.
The BNP leader expressed the hope that the Teesta River would be turned into an irrigation facility benefiting farmers in Bangladesh鈥檚 northern region through the project鈥檚 implementation.
Moyeen also hoped that China would continue supporting Bangladesh in modernising its agriculture and irrigation systems, alongside its cooperation in infrastructure development.
The BNP leader hoped that China would offer more scholarships and enhance student exchange programmes to facilitate quality education for Bangladeshi students.
About trade, he said that China could supply high-quality essential items at affordable prices to meet the needs of the Bangladeshi people.
In response, CPC deputy secretary Xing Shanping reaffirmed China鈥檚 strong commitment to its ties with Bangladesh, describing the country as a valued neighbour.
She also expressed China鈥檚 keen interest in investing in various sectors in Bangladesh, including agriculture, clean energy, education, science and technology, and infrastructure development.
Earlier, the Bangladeshi delegation visited Xi鈥檃n Jiaotong University in Shaanxi province, where they exchanged views with faculty members and Bangladeshi students studying at the university.
Moyeen described the visit as a wonderful experience, highlighting the university鈥檚 reputation as a leading institution in China.
The BNP leader expressed hope that academic collaboration between the two countries would continue to grow in the coming years.
