Milon: Education, not concrete or steel, will build the Bangladesh-China bridge

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Friday said education, rather than concrete or steel, would serve as the key foundation for building a stronger bridge between Bangladesh and China as the two countries deepen cooperation in higher education, governance and development.

“Education will be the construction material to build a bridge between Bangladesh and China,” he said while addressing the opening session of the “China-Bangladesh Round Table on Governance Experience Exchange” at a hotel in the capital.

The daylong conference was organised by the Centre for China Studies at Dhaka University in collaboration with the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS).

Highlighting the growing strategic partnership between the two nations, Milon said Bangladesh and China were strengthening ties through academic collaboration, research initiatives and institutional exchanges.

“What would be the construction materials to build a bridge between China and Bangladesh? Is it concrete, cement or steel? No, it is education,” he said.

The minister noted that Dhaka University had recently signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Chinese universities to expand cooperation in higher education and research.

“There is a reason behind the strategic relationship between Dhaka University and China. We are signing MoUs one after another to strengthen our strategic ties with China,” he added.

Milon stressed the importance of transforming Bangladesh’s large population into skilled human resources through quality education and technical training.

“Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. We must turn this population into human capital. This is our responsibility,” he said.

Referring to the government’s education agenda, he said the administration led by Tarique Rahman was planning significant investments in the sector, focusing on knowledge exchange, skills development, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

He added that China’s expertise in vocational education and industrial development could help Bangladesh build a productive workforce following China’s development model.

The minister also expressed optimism about future bilateral cooperation, saying, “The relationship between China and Bangladesh will be very prosperous and strong.”

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said Beijing considered the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) an important partner in governance cooperation and state management.

“The Communist Party of China and the BNP are both ruling parties, and the exchange of governance experience between them is entering a new phase of opportunity,” he said.

The ambassador said bilateral relations had expanded significantly through political exchanges, education, infrastructure and economic cooperation.

He noted that people-to-people exchanges between the two countries were increasing rapidly, with the Chinese Embassy issuing more than 32,000 visas so far this year.

According to the envoy, the number is expected to exceed 100,000 by year-end, supported by 45 weekly round-trip flights between Dhaka and various Chinese cities.

Yao Wen also said China was expanding educational cooperation with Bangladesh through the establishment of new Confucius Institutes at Rajshahi University and Chittagong University.

He added that four Chinese companies had recently invested nearly $100 million in Bangladesh, creating around 10,000 jobs.

The envoy also referred to major ongoing cooperation projects, including the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project and the upgrade of Mongla Port.

“China remains a trustworthy and reliable partner for Bangladesh,” he said, adding that Beijing would continue supporting Bangladesh’s economic diversification and development efforts.

The ambassador also reaffirmed China’s support for Bangladesh’s candidature for the presidency of the 31st United Nations General Assembly.

Among others, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ABM Obaidul Islam, SIIS President Dr Chen Dongxiao, and State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam also addressed the event.

The conference featured several sessions on international affairs, artificial intelligence, governance, and river and urban transportation governance, attended by academics, diplomats and policy experts from both countries.