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PM's China Visit

Dhaka to seek $4b for six big projects

Star Report
Dhaka will seek loans and aid from Beijing worth around $4 billion for six major infrastructure and energy projects during the prime minister's visit to China beginning tomorrow, said the foreign minister yesterday.
Meanwhile, sources at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Bangladesh would also seek China's major role, side by side with other countries, in building the $14 billion Sonadia deep-sea port.
Foreign ministry officials said Hasina would leave for China with a 130-member delegation, the biggest entourage accompanying her since her taking office following the January 5 elections.
During a press briefing at the foreign ministry yesterday, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said Dhaka would table six fast-track infrastructure and power generation projects during talks with Beijing on June 9.
The projects are: a 1,320-megawatt coal-fired power plant at Kalapara in Patuakhali, Rajshahi Wasa water treatment plant project, multilane tunnels beneath the Karnaphuli river, second railway bridge in Kalurghat of Chittagong, a rail-network through Chittagong-Ra mu-Cox's Bazar and Ramu-Gundhum, and Info-government project.
A high-powered committee, headed by the PM's principal secretary, placed its final recommendation to the premier for considering China in awarding the deep-sea port project, sources at the PMO said.
"She |the PM] is taking the shipping secretary in her entourage for final negotiations on the deep-sea port project with China," the sources added.
The government will keep in
mind geopolitical sensitivities while signing any deal with China for the deep-sea port construction.
It also plans to have a consortium involving the Netherlands for consultation, India for navigability works and some other countries.
After Japan conducted a feasibility study for the port in 2009, the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) submitted a proposal to finance and construct the port promising to complete the first phase by 2019.
Some other companies from different countries had also given some proposals, but the CH EC promised financing. The government on January 22 put the deep-sea port project on a fast track.
The prime minister is also expected to seek Chinese military cooperation during her visit.
There is a possibility of the signing of a number of memoranda of understanding and exchange of letters, followed by a joint statement, the foreign minister said at the press conference.
Trade between Bangladesh and China stood at $6.77 billion in the fiscal year 2012-2013. Bangladesh imported goods worth $6.3 billion but exported only $458 million.
Bangladesh will seek to reduce this trade gap during the premier's six-day visit to China, which strongly backed Hasina's government following the January 5 general elections.
The PM's delegation includes Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, a 70-member business delegation, eight secretaries of the government and civil and military officials.
PROGRAMMES
The PM will attend the second China South Asia Exposition in Kunming on Friday at the invitation of the Governor of Yunnan Province, Li Jiheng.
She will also address a gathering of the China-South Asia Business Forum there on Saturday.
Hasina will then proceed to
Beijing and hold official talks with her Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang on June 9.
The entire range of bilateral, regional and international issues will come up for discussion at the official talks.
Besides, issues related to investment, agriculture, communications, tourism, culture, power and gas, telecommunications, climate change, disaster management, reduction of disaster risk and scientific cooperation will come up for discussion.
Hasina will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Yu Zhengsheng.
She will also hold a meeting with the Vice Premier Wang Yang.
In Beijing, the Bangladesh leader will address the Bangladesh-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum hosted by the China Council for Promotion of International Trade.