After Indian National Congress, Xi Jinping looks for similar ‘MoU’ with Jamaat-e-Islami
By Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
On November 25, 2024, the day Hindu monk and leader of “Sammilito Sanatan Jagoron Jote” was arrested, Chinese Embassy in Dhaka hosted a reception for leaders of Islamist political parties, including representatives from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan, and Nizam-e-Islam Party, where Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman was accorded special attention and honor.
During this event, Chinese ambassador Yao Wen stated, “Regardless of changes in domestic or regional circumstances, the China-Bangladesh relationship has remained steadfast, progressing steadily in the right direction”.
He further said, “This stable partnership has become a pillar of regional peace and prosperity. China-Bangladesh friendship is deeply rooted in the community and benefits both nations”.
Earlier, the Chinese envoy visited the office of Jamaat-e-Islami in Dhaka, where he termed JeI as a “well organized political party”.
Jamaat’s Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, accompanied by the ambassador, informed the media that discussions included matters of mutual interest, including education, culture, and development.
The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on China-Bangladesh relations, inter-party exchanges and cooperation and other issues of common concern.
Ambassador Yao said that at present, Bangladesh is at a historical crossroads and said, “China is committed to deepening exchanges and cooperation with the Interim Government, all political parties and all walks of life in Bangladesh to consolidate the traditional friendship between the two countries and promote the continuous development of the China-Bangladesh comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, to bring more benefit to the two countries and the two peoples”.
Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman appreciated China’s great contribution to the economic and social development of Bangladesh.
He reiterated Jamaat’s firm support for the One-China Principle and it is willing to strengthen cooperation between the two parties and the two countries with the Chinese side.
He also requested China to be more active in investment and the rehabilitation of Rohingyas.
Present at the meeting were Jamaat’s Nayeeb-e-Amir Mujibur Rahman, Dr Syed Abdullah Md Taher, Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, and other senior leaders.
Meanwhile, leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami are currently visiting China at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The 14-member delegation from Jamaat-e-Islami consists of its Nayeb-e-Amir Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher
Earlier, four leaders of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) paid a 10-days visit to China from November 7 to 16 also at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The delegation was led by party’s vice chairman Asaduzzaman Ripon, joint secretary general Habibun Nabi Sohel, organizing secretary Anindya Islam Amit and joint secretary of Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal Mahmuda Habiba.
Following Sheikh Hasina’s fleeing from the country on August 5, China immediately switched to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist parties in the country, along with Hefazat-e-Islam, sensing these are the future parties in power.
During the war of independence of Bangladesh in 1971, China vehemently opposed it and openly sided with Pakistan.From a diplomatic source, it is learnt that Beijing is looking to sign a MoU with BNP and Jamaat to build a bridge of communication with these parties and the Communist Party of China (CPC).
One of the key reasons behind such MoU is to ensure China’s growing influence in Bangladesh and ensuring its economic and strategic interests. China is actively lobbying for a contract for a sea port project.
Media reports said, China is set to come back for Mongla seaport development as Bangladesh’s current interim government may allow Chinese investment in a BDT 40.68-billion project for the upgrade.
The Mongla Port Authority has recently sought approval for the China-funded project thus resuming the once-stalled bid.Earlier, the project was put on hold by the deposed Sheikh Hasina government allegedly on “geopolitical considerations” in September 2023.
In 2020, the past government allowed Indian financial support for a separate project on upgrading the Mongla seaport, now gaining prominence with major communications-infrastructure developments done by China in the region.
The Mongla Port Authority (MPA) under the Shipping Ministry has been implementing the BDT 60.15 billion project since 2020 for upgrading the port with part financing of BDT 44.59 billion from Indian loan.
As the Bay of Bengal is a critical area for India’s defense interests, China is frantically trying to get a few strategic projects from the current interim government led by Muhammad Yunus with cooperation from major Islamist parties, including BNP and Jamaat.
In 2018, China overtook the US as the largest foreign direct investor in Bangladesh, and China Harbour Engineering Company started developing a 750-acre industrial park in Chittagong, an important port city.
China will hold a 70 per cent share of the industrial park in exchange for its investment of approximately US$10 billion.It may be mentioned here that back in August 2008, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Indian National Congress (INC), in presence of Chinese leader Xi Jinping INC, former chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi (who now is the head of the party).
Although until date, contents of this MoU have been kept secret by the INC leadership, it has been learnt that under this MoU, Indian National Congress entered into partnership with Communist Party of China for working in unison on bilateral, regional and international issued.
Following signing of this MoU, INC is continuously discussing India’s domestic issues, including extremely sensitive security matters, as well as military purchase secrets and secretly extending support to China’s policy on Tibet.
With China’s growing initiatives in strengthening relations with major Islamist and anti-India parties especially BNP and Jamaat, it is evidently understood that Beijing may try to cash on Muhammad Yunus’s government anti-India stand in further expanding China’s geopolitical and economic interests in Bangladesh, despite the fact, such arrangement may come under serious scrutiny once Donald Trump assumed office on January 20, 2025.
At this stage, for Bangladeshi Islamist forces and China – key challenges would come from Washington and New Delhi and none would allow Beijing to establish its full dominance in Bangladesh and enjoy geopolitical advantages.
It would also try to enter into a mutually or singularly beneficial arrangement of geostrategic and military agreements with the current revolutionary Islamist regime in Bangladesh.
In that case, quite obviously, countries like Pakistan, for example, which has been a longstanding ally of China shall get the opportunity of reestablishing their prominent presence in Bangladesh, thus further worsening the existing chaotic situation.
Source : Blitz Bangladesh
