All flight operation to China from next month: Envoy

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: The newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has said the Chinese embassy here would facilitate smooth connectivity between Bangladesh and China while all airlines would start full-scale flight operation to China from the next month.

“For the last three years, we have limited people-to-people contact due to COVID-19. Now as per the new international policy on travel, visiting China will be much easier,” he said.

The Ambassador was speaking at a programme organised by the Association of Bangladesh-China Alumni (ABCA) in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy to celebrate Chinese New Year Spring Festival-2023 at a hotel in the capital on Friday evening.

Inviting all to visit China for study or other purposes, the envoy said “Chinese Embassy will open facilities to smooth the connectivity among the people of both friendly countries (Bangladesh and China) for extending education, trade, and cultural relations.”

He said China is keen to boost the existing friendly ties between Beijing and Dhaka to the highest level in the coming days.

“China-Bangladesh cooperation and bilateral relations have reached a new width, contributing for a potential and promising future,” Wen said.

The Ambassador emphasized on holding more programmes like seminars, and symposiums to boost bilateral relations between Bangladesh and China.

Referring to Chinese humanitarian supports for the flood-affected people in Bangladesh’s eastern district of Sylhet, the envoy added that such friendly support from China would be continued in the future.

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the grandest festival of the superpower, with a seven-day holiday and the most colorful annual event.

Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni attended the celebration event as the chief guest while ABCA President Munshi Faiz Ahmad, who is also former Ambassador of Bangladesh to China, was in the chair.

ABCA General Secretary and also a Professor of Political Science Department at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Dr. Md. Shahabul Haque delivered the welcome address while Assistant Professor of Dhaka University’s Institute of Modern Languages Jannatun Nahar presented the keynote paper.

The programme was followed by a cultural festival showing various cultural activities of China while Chinese traditions, foods, and other cultural events were also shown at the big screen for the attendees to be familiar with Chinese culture.

ABCA also presented a visual document at the programme noting that currently, 12,000 Bangladeshi students are studying at different higher educational facilities in China.