China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is significant for the country's infrastructure development and trade, speakers added

Speakers at a conference have emphasized on negotiations with China for more opportunities from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) since it is very important for economic ties.

The suggestion came at an international conference on BRI, organized by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), at a hotel in the capital on Sunday.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan said BRI is very important for Bangladesh.

“China is investing in many sectors in Bangladesh. Many investors will invest here in future as well. So, we need to negotiate more about BRI opportunities. Mapping is also needed in the invested areas here,” he said.

Industries Minister Nurul Majid Humayun said good relations exist between Bangladesh and China.

"BRI is very important for South Asian countries," he said, adding that a developed economic tie will be established with China through the BRI.

Foreign Ministry Senior Secretary Md Shahidul Haque said the BRI is very significant for the country's infrastructure development and trade.

"We are in key position of the belt. We have to negotiate its opportunities," he said.

Former caretaker government advisor Syed Manzur Elahi presided over the function while CPD executive director Dr Fahmida Khatun read out the keynote papers.

Professor Dr Sachin Chaturvedi, director general of the Institute for Bangladesh System for Developing Countries, New Delhi; Professor Cheng Min, Institute for Bangladesh Studies, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences Kunming; and Mahbub Uz Zaman, Bangladesh Ambassador-designate to China also spoke at the first session.