Every village can be production hub with China’s help: CA

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday expressed his belief that every village in Bangladesh holds untapped potential and can be transformed into a production unit with support and expertise from China.

During a meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka, Prof Yunus highlighted the immense opportunities in rural agriculture and the country’s vast deep-sea and riverine fisheries.

“Every village in Bangladesh can become a production unit with a Chinese touch,” the Chief Adviser said, emphasizing the scope for transformation through collaborative investment and technological support.

Minister Wang Wentao, who led a high-level Chinese business delegation to the China-Bangladesh Conference on Investment and Trade, assured Bangladesh of China’s willingness to strengthen cooperation in trade, agriculture, jute, fisheries, and research.

“The Chinese companies that accompanied me are excited about Bangladesh’s development direction. Your initiatives have boosted their confidence to invest here,” he told Prof Yunus.

Minister Wentao also noted the growing consumer market in Bangladesh, remarking that the country’s vibrant retail activity—evident even late at night—underscores its potential. Citing market forecasts, he said Bangladesh is poised to become the ninth-largest consumer market in the world by 2030.

The Chinese minister expressed strong interest in full-scale agricultural collaboration, especially in farmland development, water conservation, and planting technologies. He added that China sees agriculture as “a form of social organisation,” beyond just an economic sector.

Regarding fisheries, Minister Wentao said China leads the world in deep water marine fishing technologies and invited Bangladesh to submit specific proposals for cooperation.

He also highlighted China’s interest in Bangladesh’s jute sector, which has strong historical significance. Currently, China imports $100 million worth of jute annually from Bangladesh—about 10% of Bangladesh’s total jute exports.

“After your speech today, Chinese jute traders spontaneously met to explore research opportunities in Bangladesh’s jute products,” Wentao said.

He emphasized the importance of joint research and development, suggesting that Bangladeshi product designers could collaborate with Chinese technical teams to diversify and upgrade jute-based goods.

Prof Yunus welcomed China’s enthusiasm and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to creating a favourable investment environment for Chinese enterprises. He thanked the Chinese government for its long-standing support and for organizing a high-level delegation so soon after his recent trip to China.

“Your words are music to my ears,” said the Chief Adviser. “Your visit and speech today have sent a powerful signal to our nation. The whole country is watching.”

He underscored that Bangladesh is eager for Chinese support in developing its basic industries, particularly agriculture and fisheries, to improve rural livelihoods and economic resilience.

Both sides agreed to strengthen practical cooperation in traditional sectors like agriculture and fisheries, as well as emerging fields such as new energy and modern logistics, further advancing the Bangladesh-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen also attended the meeting. A statement from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce noted that the leaders of both nations have laid out a “new blueprint” for advancing bilateral ties.

“China and Bangladesh are good neighbours and reliable partners,” the statement read. “We are committed to continuing our shared journey of development and prosperity.”