China is going to provide medical equipment worth RMB 29.5 million yen, equivalent to Tk 30 crore, for burns units of medical college hospitals in Bangladesh. During his visit, the Chinese commerce minister, Gao Hucheng, handed over a letter to finance minister AMA Muhith on August 25. In the letter, Gao said that in accordance with the request of the Bangladesh government, China has agreed to provide medical equipment. The Chinese government will dispatch technicians for assembling and commissioning some of the equipment and training Bangladeshi technicians.
The Chinese commerce minister said the cost, amounting to RMB 29.5 million yen, would be disbursed from the grant as stipulated in the agreement on economic and technical cooperation between the governments of Bangladesh and China on March 29, 2012.
The letter also said that the Bangladesh government would have to prepare a radiation shielding site for mammography and the MRI system, and be responsible for customs clearance, delivery and transportation of goods after their arrival and bear the expenses thereof.
Gao also requested the Bangladesh government to assist the Chinese technicians in entering the country, staying and also exit formalities. Besides, the China National Electric Import and Export Corporation (CUEC) has expressed interest in helping Bangladesh establish modernised burns units in divisional medical college hospitals across the country.