Six agreements likely to be inked during PM’s China visit

At least six agreements or memorandums of understanding (MoUs) are likely to be signed between Bangladesh and China, during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China, to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries, say government sources.  The MoUs would include a framework agreement on the ‘Expansion and Strengthening of Power System Network under DPDC Area' project’; government concessional loan for the same project; preferential buyer’s credit loan agreement for the same project; economic and technical cooperation between the governments of Bangladesh and China; an agreement between the finance ministry of Bangladesh and the commerce ministry of China to form investment cooperation working groups; and a framework agreement on the ‘Power Grid Network Strengthening under PGCB’ project.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka yesterday afternoon for Dalian by a special plane of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on a five-day official visit to China at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang. During the visit, Hasina may urge her counterpart to provide funds for eight big projects out of a total of 27. Agreements regarding these projects had been signed during Chinese president Xi Jinping’s visit to Bangladesh on October 14, 2016.

The eight projects are: establishment of Chinese economic and industrial zones in Chattogram; balancing modernisation, rehabilitation and expansion of public sector jute mills of BJMC; conversion of MG railways track into DG railway tracks in the Akhaura-Sylhet section of Bangladesh Railway; establishment of six full-fledged TV stations of Bangladesh Television; Rajshahi WASA surface water treatment plant; digital connectivity; construction of double lines in the Joydevpur-Ishurdi section; and expansion and modernisation of Mongla port facilities.

Sources say that the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the finance ministry has already written to the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, seeking an early release of funds to implement the projects under a government-to-government (G-t- G) deal.

Besides these projects, the Bangladesh authorities signed loan agreements to implement five other projects: Padma bridge rail link; development of national ICT infra-network for Bangladesh government (Phase-3) (Info-Sarker); construction of a tunnel under the Karnaphuli; installation of single-point mooring with double pipeline; and modernisation of the telecommunications network for digital connectivity.

A loan agreement for construction of the Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway is going to be finalised soon. The EXIM Bank of China would provide the required funds as loan to implement the project, the sources add. During her visit to China, the PM will attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Dalian and hold bilateral talks with Chinese premier Li Keqiang and president Xi Jinping in Beijing.

 

Six agreements likely to be inked during PMs China visit

At least six agreements or memorandums of understanding (MoUs) are likely to be signed between Bangladesh and China, during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas visit to China, to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries, say government sources. The MoUs would include a framework agreement on the Expansion and Strengthening of Power System Network under DPDC Area project; government concessional loan for the same project; preferential buyers credit loan agreement for the same project; economic and technical cooperation between the governments of Bangladesh and China; an agreement between the finance ministry of Bangladesh and the commerce ministry of China to form investment cooperation working groups; and a framework agreement on the Power Grid Network Strengthening under PGCB project. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka yesterday afternoon for Dalian by a special plane of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on a five-day official visit to China at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang. During the visit, Hasina may urge her counterpart to provide funds for eight big projects out of a total of 27. Agreements regarding these projects had been signed during Chinese president Xi Jinpings visit to Bangladesh on October 14, 2016. The eight projects are: establishment of Chinese economic and industrial zones in Chattogram; balancing modernisation, rehabilitation and expansion of public sector jute mills of BJMC; conversion of MG railways track into DG railway tracks in the Akhaura-Sylhet section of Bangladesh Railway; establishment of six full-fledged TV stations of Bangladesh Television; Rajshahi WASA surface water treatment plant; digital connectivity; construction of double lines in the Joydevpur-Ishurdi section; and expansion and modernisation of Mongla port facilities. Sources say that the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the finance ministry has already written to the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, seeking an early release of funds to implement the projects under a government-to-government (G-t- G) deal. Besides these projects, the Bangladesh authorities signed loan agreements to implement five other projects: Padma bridge rail link; development of national ICT infra-network for Bangladesh government (Phase-3) (Info-Sarker); construction of a tunnel under the Karnaphuli; installation of single-point mooring with double pipeline; and modernisation of the telecommunications network for digital connectivity. A loan agreement for construction of the Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway is going to be finalised soon. The EXIM Bank of China would provide the required funds as loan to implement the project, the sources add. During her visit to China, the PM will attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Dalian and hold bilateral talks with Chinese premier Li Keqiang and president Xi Jinping in Beijing.