No. 1 Best Friend is Japan:
• We see that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh, says[1]that Japan has developed and maintained cordial relations with Bangladesh since 1972. Japan has been extending Japanese ODA loans mainly in the area of infrastructure. In FY2008, Japan provided Japanese ODA loans amounting to 39.749 billion yen to Bangladesh. The cumulative amount of Japanese ODA loans to date has reached 680.5 billion yen.
• Japan has been extending grant aid to Bangladesh mainly in the fields of basic human needs, especially in the areas of agriculture, medical services, and disaster management. 256.866 billion yen has been given to Bangladesh in the form of grant aid for debt relief. Bangladesh is the largest country receiving Japan’s grant aid in the form of debt relief.
• In FY 2008, Japan provided about 2.190 billion yen for technical cooperation to Bangladesh including Development Study. Until the end of FY 2008, 5,621 trainees were received in Japan and 1,492 experts were dispatched.
2nd Best Friend is China:
• The economic and trade cooperation between China and Bangladesh has continued to deepen. Chinese companies have implemented several major infrastructure projects in Bangladesh’s transportation, energy and electricity, telecommunications, and other fields.
• China has undertaken several other large-scale projects in Bangladesh, including the Padma Bridge, the Bangabandhu International Conference Center, the Payra 2×660 MW Coal-fired Power Plant, and the IV Tier National Data Center, all of which are in line with Bangladesh’s development, and are making important contributions in developing Bangladesh’s economy, its society, and people’s livelihoods.[2]
• In Bangladesh’s fight against COVID-19, China has always been standing by Bangladesh’s side. As of June 4th, 2020, the 3rd batch of China-aided medical supplies including 30000 testing reagents, 50000 medical protective gowns, 1300000 surgical masks, 50000 N95 medical protective masks, and 50000 medical protective goggles, had all arrived at Dhaka from China.[3]
• Bangladesh is among the top five economies recovering faster as a result of Chinese growth, according to an international publication. The five economies that did dodge the bullets of COVID-19 were China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Guyana, and Guinea.[4]
3rd Best Friend is Russia:
• Bangladesh hails Russia’s assistance in building its first nuclear power plant. Two units of the nuclear power plant are planned to be put into operation in 2023 and 2024. Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Champion of the Earth Sheikh Hasina said on 30 November 2017, “I again express gratitude to the government and people of Russia for the continuous support.”[5]
4th Best Friend is India:
• India aided Bangladesh gigantically during her Liberation War of 1971.
• She had advanced a $1 billion aid to Bangladesh and has sizably increased the level of its technological help to Bangladesh’s infrastructure.[6]
• India hands over assistance to Bangladesh under the COVID-19 emergency fund that her High Commissioner to Bangladesh handed over 30,000 COVID-19 test kits on 6 May 2020. Earlier on 26 April, she sent 50,000 surgical hand gloves to Bangladesh.[7]
5th Best Friend is Turkey:
Relations between Turkish and Bengali nations have strong historical and cultural roots dating back before the foundation of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The Muslims of South Asia including the Bengalis, had supported the Turkish National Struggle. The respect and admiration for Atatürk are reflected in the epic poem “Kamal Pasha”, written by Kazi Nazrul Islam, a National Poet of Bangladesh. Besides, one major avenue in Dhaka and another one in Chittagong have been named “Kemal Atatürk Avenue”. Furthermore, a high school in Dagan Bhuiyan, in Feni and a Turkish language center in Dhaka Cantonment were named “Atatürk Model High School” and “Mustafa Kemal Turkish Language Center”.
Turkey reiterates support for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.[8]
She maintains her support for Bangladesh during the pandemic as the country distributed aid packages to several thousand Bangladeshi families.[9]
Footnotes
[1] https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/region/sw_asia/bangla_o.pdf
[2] When it comes to economic and technological cooperation, China and Bangladesh have infinite potential
[3] China continued providing assistance to Bangladesh in the fight against COVID-19
[4] China growth helps Bangladesh economy: Report
[5] Bangladesh hails Russia’s assistance in building its first nuclear power plant
[6] It is crucial for India to revive ties with Bangladesh – The Federal
[7] India hands over third tranche of assistance to Bangladesh under COVID-19 emergency fund
