report in ProthomAlo, Aug 3, 2023
During a trip to China, leaders of three left-leaning parties, allies of ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance, expressed their expectation to get Chinese backing to maintain continuity of the government of Sheikh Hasina.
In response, the Chinese authorities said they have full support to maintain development spree and stability in Bangladesh. They do not like the interference of the Western counties in the internal affairs, like elections, in Bangladesh.
This information was learned after speaking to the members of the delegation.
Top leaders of Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Samyabadi Dal (ML) visited Kunming of China from 24 to 30 July at the invitation of the International Department of Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, JSD president Hasanul Haq Inu and Samyabadi Dal president Dilip Barua led their respective parties. Nine more leaders accompanied them.
Delegation sources said the Chinese authorities conducted medical check-ups of all members of the delegation. They were shown modern factories and taken to historical places.
Representatives of the international unit of the CCP went to Kunming from Beijing to hold meetings with members of the Bangladesh delegation. They held separate meetings with the Bangladesh delegation. Representatives of all parties and CCP leaders joined a dinner together and discussed it openly. Besides, meetings were held with Yunnan province vice governor and CCP leaders from adjacent provinces.
Delegation members said top leaders of Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Samyabadi Dal earlier visited China in 2017, ahead of the national election. Later, Samyabadi Dal leader Dilip Barua individually visited China too.
Speaking to Prothom Alo about the trip, Dilip Barua said, “Our main focus was that the continuity of the government is necessary. Chinese leaders also think the economy of Bangladesh will develop further if the continuity of the government is maintained. So, China leaders have said they will stand by Bangladesh for maintaining sustainable development and stability.”
The delegation members have also said they have made the Chinese leaders understand that a leader like Sheikh Hasina is necessary for sustainable development of Bangladesh.
There is no alternatives of her in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina has popularity too.
The leaders of the three parties have got similar concept that China has no difference in opinion.
Workers Party general secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, “We have strongly opposed the interference by the Westerns. They also said they do not like their interference.”
Sources said one of the left-leaning leaders during the dinner said the US is out in a mission to unseat prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
They want to put weak leadership in power to contain Chinese influence in this region.
About this, the Chinese leaders said they would not interfere in the internal affairs of Bangladesh. But they have support to the government led by Sheikh Hasina.
JSD president Hasanul Haq Inu said the interference of Westerns in the next parliament election and internal affairs of Bangladesh have come up for discussion.
He also said the activities of the Westerns including the US are in no way for democracy or fair election. Their military interest is behind this.
The Chinese leaders also said they have knowledge that there are different things behind such activities of the Westerns. They don’t like the West’s interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh.
https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/politics/la5tuly7l4
