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Dhaka for closer ties with East

Leans towards Beijing, Delhi, Moscow

Rezaul Karim
With western countries, particularly the USA and the EU nations, disappointed over the January 5 national polls, the Awami League government is getting closer to New Delhi, Beijing and Moscow for political and economic cooperation.
The three countries voiced strong support for Sheikh Hasina's government following the non-inclusive parliamentary polls. The western states, however, called for fresh and inclusive elections.
The three-nation backing prompted many other countries to congratulate the new government and express their willingness to work with it.
Diplomatic sources said the three countries have taken special interest in Bangladesh as the two successive governments led by Hasina have been maintaining close ties with them since 2009.
Despite being a strong critic of the January 5 elections, Asian giant Japan has shown interest in implementing major infrastructure and development projects in Bangladesh.
Within the next couple of months, there will be a number of high profile visits involving Dhaka, Tokyo, Beijing and New Delhi.
"India and Bangladesh will launch huge engagements immediately
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after the installation of the new government in New Delhi," said a diplomat at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee has officially invited his Bangladeshi counterpart Abdul Hamid to visit India. President Hamid has accepted the invitation and the tour itinerary will be finalised following discussions through diplomatic channels.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left for Japan last night and she is to return on the 29th. She would go to China on June 6.
"Her visits will reaffirm the government's determination to keep Bangladesh's international profile high and make its voice heard by foreign powers," said a senior foreign ministry official.
Dhaka will also host several WIPs, including Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on June 16-18. Ministry sources said officials were working out more high profile visits from home and abroad.
Russia is extremely happy as Bangladesh abstained from voting at the UN General Assembly resolution on Russia's annexation of Crimea, which eventually worked in favourofRussia.
Tokyo sent Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida to Dhaka on March 21 to invite Sheikh Hasina to visit Japan. He was the first foreign minister to visit Dhaka after the 10th parliamentary polls.
Diplomatic sources said Japan had pledged to provide $1.18 billion as Official Development Assistance (ODA) this year to be spent in five projects, including the installation of a coal-fired power plant at Matarbari island of Moheshkhali.
According to officials, the number of Japanese companies in Bangladesh has been on the rise - from 61 in 2006 to 176 in 2013.
Beijing sent Li Jiheng, governor of China's Yunnan province, to Dhaka on March 29 to invite Hasina to visit China.
Neither the US nor any of the member states of the 28-member European Union have yet greeted Hasina on her govern-
ment's re-election through the January 5 national polls.
There has been no major bilateral engagement with these countries. The US and the EU are maintaining working relations with the government.
The US and EU ambassadors in Dhaka in their recent remarks before the press have said their countries still maintain the stance announced immediately after the January 5 elections that called for an immediate dialogue and holding transparent, inclusive and credible elections as soon as possible to reflect the will of Bangladesh's people.
PM'S FOREIGN TRIPS
Official sources said Bangladesh and Japan were expected to ink several deals during the PM's visit to promote trade and investment.
On return from Tokyo, Sheikh Hasina will pay a six-day visit to China at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang. She will first join the inauguration of the second China-South Asia Exposition in Kunming of Yunnan province.
From Kunming, she will go to Beijing to hold an official meeting with Li Keqiang.
Ahead of Hasina's visit, China has announced that it will provide Bangladesh with a grant assistance of 100 million Yuan to support the development of Bangladesh's armed forces. With the grant money, China will supply short range surface-to-air missiles to strengthen Bangladesh's air defence and arrange training for defence personnel.
To promote military cooperation between the two countries, Beijing sent a 21-member defence delegation headed by General Xu Qiliang, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of China, to Dhaka. The two sides inked four defence deals during the visit on May 11-13.
Besides, China on May 13 sent Yan Junqi, vice-chairperson of the standing committee of China's National People's Congress, on a three-day visit to Dhaka to hold talks with Bangladesh's leaders.