NEW DELHI: Bangladesh‘s interim government chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, who was on a four-day visit to China, invited Beijing to make an “extension” in the region while mentioning that the seven northeastern states of India remain landlocked.
In a widely circulated video on social media, Yunus encouraged the Chinese government to establish an economic base in Bangladesh, emphasising that Dhaka is the “sole guardian of the ocean” in the region.
“Seven states of India, eastern part of India, called seven sisters … they are landlocked country, landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean,” Yunus said in the video.
“We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. So this opens up a huge possibility. So this could be an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, produce things, market things, bring things to China, bring it out to the whole rest of the world,” Yunus said.
Sanjeev Sanyal, currently a member of PM Narendra Modi’s economic advisory council, shared the video on X and wrote: “Interesting that Yunus is making a public appeal to the Chinese on the basis that 7 states in India are land-locked. China is welcome to invest in Bangladesh, but what exactly is the significance of 7 Indian states being landlocked?”
Yunus, who met Xi Jinping during his four-day visit, also sought a 50-year master plan from Beijing for its river water management, including that of the Teesta river, co-shared by the Indian upstream region, calling China the “master of water management”.
“We have come here to learn from you; how we can make water resources useful to people,” state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) quoted him as saying.
He particularly pointed out the issues related to the ‘Teesta River System’ but added, however, that “Bangladesh’s problem lies not just with one river, but with the (entire) system”.
The ousted Hasina government had sought India’s involvement in the Teesta River basin project.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh and China held positive discussions on signing the Implementation Plan of the MoU on the Exchange of Hydrological Information for the Yarlung Zangbo-Jamuna River, which originates in China and flows into Bangladesh after passing through a significant stretch of Indian territory.
The two nations also agreed to enhance maritime cooperation and plan to hold a new round of Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation at a suitable time.
“Bangladesh welcomes Chinese companies to participate in the Mongla Port Facilities Modernisation and Expansion Project and is ready to collaborate with China to further develop the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) in Chattogram,” the statement said.
According to BSS, China has planned to provide approximately $400 million for the modernization of Bangladesh’s southwestern Mongla seaport, $350 million for the development of the China Industrial Economic Zone, and another $150 million as technical assistance.
“The remaining funds will be provided as grants and other forms of financial support,” the BSS report added.