Youth-focused Bangladesh China Foundation for Future launched

by Naim-Ul-Karim, Liu Chuntao

DHAKA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) — A youth-focused foundation dedicated to further strengthening ties of friendship between Bangladesh and China was officially launched Thursday in the capital Dhaka.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party lawmaker Saber Hossain Chowdhury is the man behind the initiative.

“Bangladesh China Foundation for Future” is also headed by Chowdhury, an elected president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organization of parliaments of 164 countries.

The foundation has seven board members including Raimah Chowdhury, a young professional, who as a director is tasked with its operational responsibility.

The foundation was launched at a ceremony at Pan Pacific Sonargaon, a hotel in Dhaka, on Thursday in presence of hundreds of guests including many dignitaries.

Extending his best wishes for “Bangladesh China Foundation for Future,” Gowher Rizvi, international affairs adviser to the Bangladesh prime minister, said this will be one of the bridges in which relationship between Bangladesh and China will be further strengthened.

“There are several things that excite me about this foundation. First of course it excites me because this is a foundation with China.”

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ma Mingqiang spoke highly of the initiative, saying that the foundation would further strengthen the ties between Bangladesh and China.

Saber Hossain Chowdhury, chairman of Bangladesh China Foundation for Future, on the sidelines of the launching ceremony told Xinhua that “What I think is the connection, the link and interaction between people of two countries. So that’s what we are trying to promote.”

He further said, “It’s a platform; It is an initiative to promote people to people connect, people to people dialogue, people to people collaboration between China and Bangladesh. And this is going to be promoted by the young people from both sides.”

“It’s really the young people who are going to drive agenda for the future,” he added.

Echoing almost similar views, Director of Bangladesh China Foundation for Future Raimah Chowdhury said the foundation is focused on programs that help young people to link education goals with leadership skills training and professional network as well as building friendship.

“We really want to contribute to building a further strong relationship between people of China and Bangladesh through educational, cultural, sporting, media and professional activities by increasing the engagement of young people in both the countries,” she said.