Bangladesh's new friend circle: A ring of fire for India?
A 21-member Bangladeshi delegation, including politicians, student leaders, and scholars, recently toured China (Feb 25–Mar 6) at Beijing’s invitation, Global Times reported. The group was reportedly wowed by China’s tech and infrastructure, and many now see the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as key to Bangladesh’s economic future. They visited top Chinese firms like BYD and LONGi, soaking in China’s modernization drive.
It should be noted that China agreed in principle to extend Bangladesh’s loan repayment period and is reviewing a request to lower interest rates, Dhaka Tribune reported. Bangladesh urged China to reduce interest rates from 2-3% to 1%, waive off the commitment fee, and extend loan repayment terms from 20 to 30 years for Preferential Buyer’s Credit (PBC) and Government Concessional Loans (GCL).
According to an estimate by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a US think tank, the total investment from China in Bangladesh is $7.07 billion as of 2023.
A worrisome Pakistani presence
Meanwhile, in a move bound to raise eyebrows in Delhi, a Pakistani cargo ship is set to dock at Bangladesh’s Mongla Port—for the first time in 53 years! The Economic Times reported that this follows a government-to-government deal for importing 50,000 metric tonnes of Basmati rice from Pakistan. The ship, carrying 25 MT of rice, left Karachi’s Qasim Port and will first unload at Chittagong before heading to Mongla.
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