China Visit to Deepen Economic, Strategic Ties

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary general of the BNP and adviser to the prime minister, has expressed hope that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to China will further strengthen the economic and strategic relations between the two countries. He also commented that grocery stores should not be brought under the VAT net.

Rizvi made the remarks today, Thursday, at a press conference held at the BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan in the capital.

Rizvi noted that China has made significant investments in the industrial, infrastructure, and service sectors, while bilateral trade between the two countries stands at nearly $18 billion. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit would further reinforce the economic and strategic ties between Bangladesh and China.

He added that world leaders at the World Economic Forum conference in China praised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s experience and initiatives. In particular, they commended his remarks on addressing climate change and Bangladesh’s initiatives in this regard.

“Providing tax incentives for renewable energy, particularly solar power, is a major initiative in addressing climate change. The prime minister also noted that the country has set a target of generating nearly 20 percent of its total electricity from solar power by 2030,” Rizvi added.

Speaking about China, the senior BNP leader said China is a country that does not interfere in the internal politics of other nations.

Referring to Bangladesh’s foreign policy, Prime Minister’s Adviser Rizvi said the country is now reflecting a multidimensional foreign policy instead of the one-sided approach of the past. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is following the foreign policy framework initiated by martyred President Ziaur Rahman. The current diplomatic activities reflect the policy adopted to implement an independent foreign policy while safeguarding Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty.

At the press conference, Rizvi also spoke about domestic economic issues. He said the government must adopt measures to ensure the livelihood of ordinary, poor, and low-income people.

Objecting to bringing grocery stores under the VAT net, the senior BNP leader said small grocery shops earn very limited incomes. Therefore, they should not be subjected to VAT. However, he supported bringing under the tax net those who have the capacity to pay taxes but remain outside it for various reasons.

Stating that the current government is accountable to the people, Rizvi said it would govern by giving importance to the people’s welfare, hardships, and expectations. He claimed that the BNP, while in power, never adopted any policy that caused significant harm to the public.

According to Rizvi, despite various conspiracies and plots, no one has been able to destroy the BNP or undermine the party’s popularity.