12/20/2016

Bangladeshonthethresholdofunlimitedprosperity

Bangladesh on the
threshold of unlimited
prosperity
by Mahbubur Rahman | Published: 22:20, Dec 20,2016

A file photo shows the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, paying respect to the martyrs of 1971
independence war by placing a wreath at the National Memorial at Savar in Dhaka on October
15.

THE president of China Xi Jinping paid a historic visit to Bangladesh in October. No

Chinese president visited Bangladesh in the past 30 years. The state-level relations
between Bangladesh and China began when president Ziaur Rahman assumed state
power. Zia was a far-sighted leader. He had visions. He looked to the east, the
entire eastern sky he found was crimson red. He also saw a long hand, warm and
strong stretched out towards him. He stepped forward to touch it and as he
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touched he grabbed it hard.

Diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and China was established on October 4,
1975 after the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. Since then, we have marched a
long way, spirited, and never looked back. Even if we had looked back, we would
have only seen millennia-long old classic history of epic friendship between two
great ancient civilisations. I recall, Fa Xien, Xuan Zang, Yi Jing and Atish Dipankar
Sreegana. I am amazed and surprised! They built a friendship bridge as high and
strong as the Himalayas and that they built more than a thousand years ago, in
the dawn of civilisation.
The glorious Tang dynasty was ruling China at the time when Bengal (India) was
being ruled by the Pala empire. The cordial and friendly union of these two great
civilisations is a golden era of the world history. Similarly, another chapter of our
friendly history was the 14th century when the great and mighty Ming dynasty
ruled China. Bengal was known as Subah Bangla and ruled by the Twelve Bhuiyans,
Ilyas Shah, Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah, Saifuddin Firuz Shah and other Shahi sultans.
The erstwhile Bengal was a coveted dreamland. It had bountiful of resources, was
rich, happy, prosperous and most peaceful. The entire world was enthusiastic and
interested in Bengal. The emperors of the powerful Ming dynasty extended their
hands of friendship towards Bengal.
Yongle, the emperor Zhu Di developed effective friendship with other emperors. He
sent Admiral Zheng He with a large fleet of ships as emissary to Asian and African
destinations. Admiral Zheng anchored his fleet in the erstwhile Chittagong port
several times. Sultan of Subah Bangla Ghiyasuddin held a large royal reception in
his honour at the Panam city of the capital Sonargaon. The friendship between
Ming emperors and the sultans of Subah Bangla has been legendary.
President Xi Jinpings visit was truly outstanding and unique in respects. It was
held as a sequel to Bengals ancient history, heritage and its continuity. It was like,
veni vidi vici I came, I saw and I conquered (the minds of Bangladesh people).
He exactly did it. He conquered the minds of 160 million people of Bangladesh. It
was a brief 22-hour visit. But he moved and stirred every city and every periphery
of the country spanning 56,000 square miles of the land.
There has not been too many significant events in the history of Bangladesh such
as Xis visit. President Xi unveiled Bangladeshs golden door to intense prospects
and developments. He has presented the golden keys to prosperity to the people of
this country. He let us dreaming very large dreams. He expressed his deep trust,
friendship and love for the people of Bangladesh.
President Xi signed memorandums of understandings for $25 billion for some mega
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projects. He also hinted at a tentative investment of another $40 billion. China

wants a truly independent, strong and peaceful Bangladesh. China wants to see
Bangladesh stands on its own strong feet, with head held high and the chest
expanded and up as the great national poet of Bangladesh, Kazi Nazrul Islam,
uttered Chira unnata mama shir; shir nehari amari; nata shir ai shikhar
himadrir.
President Xi Jinping dreams of the Great China Dream (Zhongguo Meng). He
harbours and recalls the luminous past of glorified China. He holds the great China
heritage in his heart. He follows the legacy of glorified China to discover a new
road to reach new heights of progress and prosperity. President Xi wants to build
a full-moon China, a complete China, a paragon China. And that he wants together
with all the neighbours, next door and also far beyond, including its historical
allies.
Through the Silk Road, China had spread the luminosity of its knowledge and
wisdom, science and technology and prosperity. The Silk Road familiarised Asia and
Europe with ancient China. The route grew enormous trade and commerce across
the world, enriched the countries. It unified the world and bound them together.
Instilling the idea of the Silk Road, president Xi has adopted the policy of
rebuilding a new Silk Road. It will connect all the countries that once were
stretched along the old Silk Route and unite them again towards entering an era of
unprecedented growth and progress. He also spoke about connecting all the coastal
nations through a Sea Silk Route. He has named it Sea Silk Route of the 21st
century.
President Xi has pledged to implement BCIM-Economic Corridor. He has sought
everyones assistance to this end. He has envisioned an epoch making revolution
through building a regional alliance between Bangladesh, China, India and
Myanmar.
The economic corridor to be built through the partnership, coordination and
cooperation between these South and South-East Asian countries would bring about
great momentum of growth in connectivity and communications, both by railway
and road. This would be a very wide corridor of translating the great economic
potentials of this entire region into action. The ancient Northern Silk Road had
connected China with the Arab regions, Far East, South and South-East Asian
states.
However, the Southern Silk Road (which was operational some 2500 to 3000 years
ago) in the then Bengal was connected with South and South-East Asia as our very
distant ancestors took initiatives. The route had developed our economy and
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culture. It turns out to be obvious that the BCIM-Economic Corridor is the new
edition of that ancient Southern Silk Road. It was originated at Chengdu, the
capital of Sichuan of China. The road then was extended to Kunming and to the
basin of the Irrawady River, ran parallel to the Chindwin River in Burma (now
Myanmar) and extended into Bangladesh. At that time, the state Pundravardhana
was a very famous, rich and prosperous country along the the River Karatoya. The
capital of the state was the rich city of Pundra (now Mahasthan of Bogra) where
millennia-old rich archaeological sites are buried under the earth.
China wants to build a new world, of peace and progress through the new
developments of the countries along the Silk Road. There would be no antagonism
and no conflict, no cold war and no shedding of blood. All will unite and walk
together on the same road and march forward. They all would flourish their own
economy and society. There would be no poverty, no hunger and disease and
absolutely no tears!
President Xi is a visionary leader, a philosopher. He has will and indomitable
mental strength. He is the president of the most populous country of the world of
135 million.
Modern China that mesmerises the entire world with its phenomenal growth has
been built by the Communist Party of China. The general secretary of that party is
Xi Jinping. The central committee of the CPC, the largest political party in the
world with its 10 million members, has already announced president Xi as the
national core leader and honoured him with highest respect.
Fixing Mao Zedong on the apex of the countrys history, China has decided its four
leaders to be regarded as the national core leaders. They are: one, the great leader
of the Chinese Revolution, founder of Chinese Peoples Liberation Army and leader
of epic Long March, Mao Zedong; two, the architect of the modern China, Deng
Xioaping; three, the leader of prosperity and modernisation, Jiang Zemin; and four,
the leader of the new generation, dreamer, philosopher and creator of a new era,
president Xi Jinping.
I had the opportunity to meet all the national core leaders of China except
Chairman Mao Zedong. I recall, they all expressed their commitments, friendship
and love for Bangladesh. I also recall it was in 1996, while I was the chief of army
staff, I was invited by the Peoples Liberation Army to visit China.
During my visit, I had an opportunity to meet Chinese president Jiang Zemin. I
remember, he told me, China has changed a lot. What you had seen in the 70s
and 80s, when you had lived here, is not the same China you are seeing now. This
China is modern, developed China and here now it is a new generation and a new
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leadership.
He also said, The world is changing. I have heard the sky line of Dhaka has also
changed. Amid so many changes, did you notice that one thing did not change and
will also not change at all and that is our relation with Bangladesh, our policy
towards Bangladesh. He kept telling me, I can assure you, General, China will
always remain a friend of Bangladesh. You will see China always by your side,
when needed. He said, The relationship between China and Bangladesh is of
friendship and friendship and only friendship and nothing but friendship. I found
an amazing clarity and firmness in his words.
Xi Jinping with his wisdom, genius, vision and dynamism has curved out a niche in
the world leadership. He is, indeed, the most undisputed leader of China. He has
earned everyones trust, respect, admiration and love. China is rising and rising
unabatedly, rising high under his stewardship and will continue to do so in the
days to come. Xi will unveil undoubtedly a new horizon, open up a new world, of
peace and prosperity, harmony and happiness and initiate a new political and
economical world order. Xi is a good friend of Bangladesh and the region of South
Asia a friend in need and a friend, indeed.
Lieutenant general Mahbubur Rahman (retired) is a former chief of army staff.

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