---Interview with H.E. Mr. Nazmul Islam, Ambassador of the People's Republic of Bangladesh to the People’s Republic of China
VICTWO: How long have Your Excellency been working in the Embassy in Beijing? What do you like most about Beijing? Any other city in China impresses you a lot? What do you like to do on your spare time?
AMBASSADOR: I have been working as the Ambassador of Bangladesh to China since 29 November 2024. I had also served as Counsellor in our Embassy in Beijing from August 2007 to July 2010.
Autumn in Beijing fascinates me the most. During Autumn, the entire city turns into a picturesque landscape. I love and relish every moment during Autumn in Beijing.
I do have the opportunity to visit many beautiful and vibrant cities of China. However, the beauty and calmness of Hangzhou and Lijiang impress me a lot.
I like to read and enjoy music and sports on my spare time.
VICTWO: How would Your Excellency evaluate bilateral relations between the People’s Republic of China and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh?
AMBASSADOR: Since the establishment of our ties on 4 October in 1975, Bangladesh and China have successfully cultivated a relationship of deep friendship based on equality, trust, mutual respect, and a shared aspiration for peace, development, and stability. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and China as well as people to people exchange year. Both the countries have taken a number of initiatives to celebrate this historic milestone. This golden jubilee is not just a celebration of our past achievements but a promise for the future—one where our two nations continue to support each other in every field, from economic growth to trade & investment, infrastructure, RMG, renewable energy, blue economy, IT, education, culture, healthcare and beyond.
Our bilateral relations got further momentum when our Hon’ble Chief Adviser Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and Hon’ble President Xi Jinping had a very successful meeting in Beijing on 28 March 2024 and firmly agreed to deepening our ‘Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership’ with utmost importance. Earlier our Hon’ble Adviser for Foreign Affairs Mr. Md. Touhid Hossain paid an official visit to China in January 2024 at the invitation of Hon’ble Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Hon’ble Minister of Commerce of China Mr. Wang Wentao led a delegation of 150 representatives from 100 Chinese companies to Bangladesh from 31 May to 2 June 2024.
Over the years, China is our largest trading partner and one of our major investors and development sources. Bangladesh is actively working to diversify its economy and China, with its vast experience in modernization, digital economy, renewable energy, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing, is a significant and trusted partner in achieving this vision.
Equally important is the human dimension of our relations. Our peoples share centuries-old connections through trade, culture, and ideas. In modern times, this connection has only deepened. Thousands of Bangladeshi students are now studying in Chinese universities, bringing home not only knowledge but also lasting friendships. Cultural exchanges, academic cooperations and artistic collaborations continue to enrich both societies. These exchanges remind us of the fact that friendship between nations is best sustained by the bonds between people and how our cultures interact and inspire one another.
Our partnership also carries regional and global significance. Our collaboration within the Belt and Road Initiative is opening new doors for connectivity and development, not just for our two countries but for the wider region. Our two countries are also working closely in multilateral forums to address pressing regional and global challenges such as Rohingya issue, climate change, energy transition, public health, and poverty alleviation. Bangladesh attaches great importance to China’s leadership in advancing global green development.
In a nutshell, the Bangladesh-China bilateral relationship stands as a testament to mutual respect, shared aspirations, and enduring cooperation. Rooted in the principles of peace, prosperity, and stability, this partnership continues to grow stronger, fostering economic development, cultural exchange, and regional harmony. By building on these foundations and addressing global challenges together, both nations are working to contribute meaningfully to a more inclusive and sustainable future. As Bangladesh and China deepen their ties, their collaboration serves as an example of how strategic partnerships can drive progress while upholding the values of friendship and mutual benefit.
VICTWO: What make Bangladesh a good investment destination?
AMBASSADOR: Bangladesh stands today at the crossroads of rapid transformation- a nation of 180 million people with a vibrant economy, strategic location, and an increasingly investor-friendly climate. With consistent GDP growth among the highest in Asia, a dynamic young workforce, and expanding infrastructure, Bangladesh offers unparalleled opportunities for global investors. From manufacturing and digital technology to green energy and logistics, the country is emerging as a hub for sustainable growth and innovation. Supported by sound policies, competitive incentives, and growing connectivity across South and Southeast Asia, Bangladesh represents a unique investment destination- where opportunity meets resilience and ambition fuels success.
Investing in Bangladesh means gaining access to a large pool of skilled and semi-skilled labor, which is both cost-effective and capable. The country’s commitment to human capital development is unwavering, and it is continuously working to enhance the capabilities of the workforce through vocational training and higher education initiatives. Investments in infrastructure, renewable energy, RMG, IT, Jute, Pharmaceutical, Leather and leather goods and logistics sectors will bring forth assured high return. Climate-resilient smart farming opens opportunities for collaboration in agro-processing industries, with buy-back arrangements.
With a projected 7% GDP growth over the next five years, the economy has shown strong resilience in the face of global challenges, driven by manufacturing, services, and agriculture. It is on track to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2026, reflecting its progress and stability.
Bangladesh offers competitive opportunities across manufacturing, energy, ICT, and infrastructure. Its strategic location connects South and Southeast Asian markets, while investor-friendly policies, special economic zones, and a young skilled workforce make it an attractive destination. With sustained growth, rising domestic demand, and expanding global integration, Bangladesh stands out as a gateway to profitable and sustainable investment.
With a population of 180 million, Bangladesh boasts a growing middle class of 34 million affluent consumers who drive demand across multiple sectors. The country has one of the youngest labor forces in the world, with an average age of 26 years. This provides businesses with a dynamic, cost-effective, and productive workforce, ideal for industries ranging from manufacturing to technology. Bangladesh benefits from excellent connectivity through sea, road, and air. Its strategic location provides easy access to global markets, making it a key hub for trade and investment in South Asia. The country is also witnessing significant strides in digital infrastructure. Internet penetration is growing at a rate of 3% annually, and Bangladesh boasts over $400 million in daily mobile financial transactions, positioning it as a leader in the digital finance space.
To attract both local and foreign investments, Bangladesh has established various economic zones and industrial parks, each designed to offer specialized benefits to different sectors. These facilities provide a structured, incentivized environment for businesses to set up operations, providing an attractive proposition for industries like textiles, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, and information technology.
The government has undertaken significant measures to enhance the ease of doing business. The Government has embarked on a series of reforms to create a more business-friendly atmosphere and offer a secure and predictable environment for investors. It has simplified steps and procedures, ensured transparency, and improved infrastructure to facilitate smoother and more efficient business operations. The country is making significant investments in both digital and physical infrastructures to turn Bangladesh into a vibrant logistics hub with connectivity in the region and beyond. It has a large pool of skilled workforce available at competitive wages. Bangladesh boasts the world’s second-largest community of registered IT freelancers. Significant strides have been made in developing telecommunications infrastructure, reaching out to even the farthest areas.
VICTWO: How has Chinese investment been doing in Bangladesh?
AMBASSADOR: Chinese investment in Bangladesh is making solid progress — in scale, scope, and strategic relevance. It is contributing to infrastructure, industrialization, technology adoption and employment. It can be explained in the following manner:
Chinese FDI into Bangladesh reached about US$2.67 billion as of September 2024, making China the country’s second-largest investor.
In addition to the infrastructure and heavy industries, Chinese investment has been extended to textiles, telecommunications, agriculture, digital/ICT. For example, the textile sector has attracted approximately US$760 million Chinese FDI as of Sept 2024. Chinese firms are increasingly present in Bangladesh’s digital economy like telecom equipment, fiber optics, data centres, smart-city projects.
China has pledged more investments and loans: In early 2025, China pledged approximately US$2.1 billion in loans and investments for Bangladesh, including approximately US$1 billion from 30 Chinese companies.
With rising costs in China and trade-tension dynamics, more Chinese firms are exploring Bangladesh as a “China + one” manufacturing base. The full potential is yet to be realized, and there remain challenges around investment climate, enabling infrastructure, trade balance, and long-term sustainability.
VICTWO: Which sectors are the priority ones of Bangladesh attracting foreign investment?
AMBASSADOR: The priority sectors in Bangladesh can be classified in seven broad categories viz. i. Core Apparel & Advanced Textiles, ii. Pharmaceuticals (Non-API) & Healthcare, iii. IT-Enabled Services (IT-ES), Software & Digital, iv. Agro-Processing & Value-Added Agriculture / Food, v. Renewable Energy & Clean Technology, vi. Light Engineering, Leather & Footwear, Plastic, Home Textiles and vii. Automotive Parts, Electronics & Assembly, Logistics.
Core Apparel & Advanced Textiles: It includes ready-made garments (RMG) and higher-value / technical textiles. Bangladesh has a strong garment export base, competitive labor costs, and global market access. Moving up the value chain (technical textiles, sustainable fabrics) offers growth potential.
Pharmaceuticals (Non-API) & Healthcare: Bangladesh has set priority to build up manufacturing of medicines, medical devices, hospitals/clinics. There is a rising domestic demand for healthcare, export potential, and government incentives.
IT-Enabled Services (IT-ES), Software & Digital: It includes software, outsourcing, ICT services. A growing young workforce and a vibrant pool of IT professionals offer readily available tech support from the market.
Agro-Processing & Value-Added Agriculture / Food: Agro-processing industry is a sector with huge room for growth. Agriculture employs a large part of the population; upgrading the value chain helps exports and domestic supply.
Renewable Energy & Clean Technology: Solar, wind, other renewables are flagged in the “heatmap” of priority sectors. Bangladesh has rising energy demand and commitments to environmentally-sustainable growth.
Light Engineering, Leather & Footwear, Plastic, Home Textiles: These are manufacturing segments highlighted for investment. Labour-intensive, export potential, and room to diversify beyond apparel.
Automotive Parts, Electronics & Assembly, Logistics: These are emerging priorities in the manufacturing-industrial ecosystem.
These priorities align with Bangladesh’s comparative advantages: labor supply, cost-competitiveness, export market access. They respond to growing domestic demand — healthcare, food, digital services, energy. They help the economy diversify beyond apparel and traditional sectors. They offer export potential: Bangladesh enjoys duty-free/quota-free access to many markets, which makes manufacturing for export attractive. They support national development goals: job creation, industrialization, value-addition, and moving up the value chain.
VICTWO: Specifically, what potential or opportunity our two countries have to further cooperate in innovation and technology?
AMBASSADOR: As nations of the Global South continue to navigate complex challenges of development, climate change, digital transformation, and global inequality, China’s strategic pursuit of high-quality development is a significant and instructive evolution in the global development discourse. From the vantage point of the Global South, China’s transition toward a model that prioritizes innovation, sustainability, inclusiveness, and long-term resilience is both a powerful example and a potential catalyst for new forms of South-South cooperation. Over the past four decades, China’s development trajectory has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, transformed its industrial base, and integrated the country into global value chains at an unprecedented scale. However, its current focus on high-quality development—emphasizing ecological sustainability, technological self-reliance, structural reform, and social equity—marks a new chapter, one that resonates strongly with the aspirations of many developing countries including Bangladesh.
China’s transition toward high-quality development is not merely a domestic recalibration; it is a signal of a broader shift in global development thinking. Relevant to Bangladesh, China has been an indispensable and time-tested partner in trade relations, infrastructure and economic developments. During the visit of our Honorable Chief Adviser to China in March, 2025, Professor Muhammad Yunus focused, inter alia, on the country’s economic priorities and high returns on foreign investment. The immensely growing need of energy for the expanding industrial base in Bangladesh offers an exciting opportunity for investment in clean energy sector. China has already been engaging in solar energy infrastructure in Bangladesh. We would love to partner with China to gain experience on its High-Quality Development and New Energy Industry, which will help us equip ourselves for the technology of the future.
Chinese investment and partnership have helped Bangladesh build much of its digital backbone. Fiber-optic networks, telecommunication infrastructure, and 4G/5G readiness through companies like Huawei and ZTE have been achieved. IoT, smart city, 5G rollout, network modernization and cloud computing are heavily reliant on Chinese technologies. China’s experience in industrial transformation — from labor-intensive manufacturing to high-tech production — provides a valuable model for Bangladesh.
We want to build a shared future of peace and prosperity. We would like to be part of a prosperous human civilization. Bangladesh is eager to partner with China in its path to high quality development leading ‘beautiful economy’ where green and eco-friendly economic approach revolves around welfare of people and strikes a balance between nature and humanity. The dynamics in inter-state relations has evolved to new parameters; all of us who are interested in inter-state relations and the dynamics influencing the choices that the states themselves make as they continuously seek to better the lives of their peoples, this new development approach could be a paradigm shift in our decision-making perspectives.
China and Bangladesh have complementary strengths — China in technology and innovation capacity, Bangladesh in market size, workforce, and growth momentum. By expanding cooperation in innovation, digital transformation, and green technology, we can jointly build the foundation for a technology-driven partnership that benefits both nations.
VICTWO: Last but not the least, how about a little knowledge of culture and tourism in Bangladesh?
AMBASSADOR: Culture is a strong binding factor. Cultural interaction considering its direct linkage with the viewers and audience has a dramatic impact in the creation of positive images of a country. Bangladesh possesses a distinctive and diversified cultural base. Our rich cultural heritage consisting of world heritage archaeological sites, historical monuments and relics provides an opportunity for increased people to people contact. Bangladesh is a proud inheritor of cultural and civilizational legacies stretching back thousands of years. We are a living mosaic of diverse ethnicities, religions, and languages. Our culture has always championed harmony, tolerance, and exchanges. In our lands of ancient civilizations, religions, languages, and artistic traditions have coexisted for millennia.
The country’s culture blends influence from Bengali, Mughal, Persian, and British legacies. Bengali (Bangla) is the official language and a proud symbol of national identity. The Language Movement of 1952, which defended the right to speak Bangla, is commemorated every year on the International Mother Language Day (21 February). The majority of Bangladeshis are Muslim, but there are also Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian communities — all contributing to the nation’s cultural richness. Traditional arts include Naskhi Kantha (embroidered quilts), pottery, brassware, and handloom textiles.
Bangladesh is known for its colorful and inclusive festivals, celebrated nationwide. Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year) – celebrated on April 14 with fairs, parades, music, and traditional food, is a symbol of unity and joy. The religious festivals include Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, Durga Puja, Buddha Purnima and Christmas. Bangladeshi food is flavorful and diverse, emphasizing rice and fish, often seasoned with aromatic spices. Signature dishes include Hilsa fish curry (Ilish bhapa), kacchi biryani, bhuna khichuri, and pitha (traditional sweets). Street food, especially in Dhaka, offers fuchka, chotpoti, and halim, loved by locals and visitors alike. Tea culture is strong, especially in Sylhet, known for its lush tea gardens.
Bangladesh has a rich literary tradition led by Rabindranath Tagore, the first Asian Nobel Laureate, and Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet and playwright known for his revolutionary writings. Modern literature, theatre, and cinema are thriving, with Dhaka serving as a creative hub. Folk art, dance, and traditional theatre such as Jatra continue to preserve rural storytelling traditions.
The Sundarbans, the largest Mangrove Forest – A UNESCO World Heritage Site and home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, Cox’s Bazar – The world’s longest natural sandy sea beach (about 120 km long), Sylhet – Known for tea gardens, rolling hills, and waterfalls, Chittagong Hill Tracts are some of the scenic places which will mesmerize the tourists with the bounty of nature, primitivity and beauty.
Paharpur (Somapura Mahavihara) is an ancient Buddhist monastery and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, universities for young Buddhist disciples. The district of Bagerhat hosts the Sixty Dome Mosque, a 15th-century Islamic architectural masterpiece. Mahasthangarh is one of the earliest urban archaeological sites in South Asia. Old Dhaka is rich with Mughal architecture, narrow alleys, and vibrant culture.
Bangladesh is often described as the “Land of Smiles and hospitalities”. Its people are known for their warmth, generosity, and hospitality toward guests. Travelers frequently note the friendliness of locals and the country’s authentic, uncommercialized charm.