Choose China, not India! Bangladesh has made up its mind! On July 27, according to Deutsche Welle, German media reported that Bangladesh officially launched construction of an economic industrial park—a long-delayed project in cooperation with China—near the port city of Chittagong on Monday (July 27). On that day, officials from both countries jointly inaugurated the Chinese Economic Industrial Park, which spans 800 acres (324 hectares). German media noted that just one month earlier, Bangladesh was still considering whether to authorize India to develop the project.
But ultimately, Bangladesh made its choice. One month before the project's launch, Bangladesh revoked India’s development rights granted in 2015 and transferred the development rights for the 110-acre Mongla Port Economic Zone to China. For Bangladesh, this economic industrial park is of critical importance—it is a flagship project central to Bangladesh’s ambition to become a $1 trillion economy by 2034.
Yet as we have seen, Bangladesh’s final decision was to choose China and collaborate with us. Why, despite India having taken the early lead, did Bangladesh ultimately decide to partner with us? Of course, there are several reasons behind this. First, Bangladesh can no longer afford to wait. Although India and Bangladesh had prior agreements, after India secured the project, progress was extremely slow. Years passed without substantial work—overall investment amounted to less than 1% of the budget—and even basic surveys were not completed. Bangladesh’s patience had long run out.
Second, compared to India, our capabilities are undoubtedly stronger. We possess comprehensive, integrated delivery capacity in funding, infrastructure, and industrial park operations. With landmark projects such as the Padma Bridge, highways, and power plants successfully completed, trust between Bangladesh and us has grown steadily over time.
Third, relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated. Particularly, India’s granting of asylum to former Prime Minister Hasina, who fled into exile, while ignoring repeated requests from Bangladesh for her extradition, has caused widespread domestic discontent in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, unresolved issues concerning transboundary water resources and border disputes remain unsettled. Therefore, taking all factors into account, Bangladesh has chosen to place its bet on China and deepen cooperation with us.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871885188108288/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.