economics

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Silk road project of China vis-a-vis Bangladesh

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Published in the Financial Express on November 12, 2018

The People’s Republic of China has emerged a leading economic power house in the world in the 21st century thanks to it’s the Belt and Road initiative, a signature project of President Xi Jinping. President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road initiative in fact is the revival of ancient Chinese Silk Road and Trade which got going during the period of Han dynasty from 207BCE (Before Common Era) to 220 BC (Before Christ). At the initial stage the Han dynasty through explorer Ambassador at large, Ziang Qian, expanded the Silk route in Central Asia.

Trade through the Silk route actually played a significant part in establishing civilisation of China. Chinese Buddhist monk Fa Xian, Hui Zi and Hui Da came to ancient Bengal during the fifth century of Han dynasty to learn Buddhist scriptures. Ancient Bengal was also a place the Chinese trade ships sailed to.

During Song and Yuan dynasties Chinese foreign trade further developed. Large quantities of Chinese silk and porcelain were shipped to India, Sri Lanka and Bengal.

In fact, trade had expanded through navigational routes to South and East Asia and East Africa from 1405 to 1433 during the Ming dynasty. Admiral Zheng He, a Chinese Muslim (Cheng Ho) – mariner, explorer and diplomat – had made seven voyages during his lifetime. Zheng He earned appreciation of Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty. During the Ming dynasty there were frequent exchanges of envoys between China and Bengal. In 1408 Sultan Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah dispatched an envoy to establish relations with China. The envoy was accorded warm reception by the central government of the Ming dynasty. In 1415 the government of the Ming dynasty dispatched Hou Xian as an envoy to visit Suvarnogram, now Sonargaon near Dhaka, with credentials from Chinese emperor Zhu Di. While calling on the Sultan, the Chinese envoy presented the Queen and the Ministers of Suvarnogram with generous gifts from the Chinese emperor. Zheng He’s voyage team carried from China things including embroidery umbrellas, silk and Satin, porcelain, camphor, gold, silver, copper, etc. Zheng He’s voyage team visited Ceylon, Calicut, the Maldives, Cochin, Koyamyadi and Bengal in 1430. Zheng He did not visit Bengal but his envoy Hong Bao paid a visit to Chattogram and Sonargaon by small boats from Sumatra and presented the Chinese emperor’s imperial manifesto. This writer was associated with a group of journalists of China Pictorial during their visit in 1993 to publish a special supplement on the visit of Zheng He to this part of the world. Journalists from China Pictorial visited Chattogram, Sonargaon and met Chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation to know about expedition of Zheng He to this part of the world. All arrangements were made by this writer. The team was led by Madam Bian Youfen, Deputy Director of China Pictorial. A special supplement was published on Zheng He voyages in 1994.

From Han to Tang and Ming dynasties there had been trade between China and all South Asian parts plus Central Asia. Chinese silk, silk cloth, paper, Chinese porcelain were very much liked by peoples of this region. As a matter of fact, Chinese beautiful porcelain was preserved at a small museum of Lalbagh Fort in Dhaka which this writer noticed in mid 60’s. UNESCO designated the Chang’ an-Tian Shan corridor of the Silk route as a world heritage site.

China has been emerging economic power house in the world in the twenty first century from an opium-addicted nation in the nineteenth century. It was introduced by the imperial British Raj of East India Company in 1825 by supplying opium and raw cotton in exchange for tea, porcelain and silk.

In 1793, China was known for sophisticated culture and rich history. In 1839 Qing emperor ordered destruction of the large supply of opium stored in China. Commissioner Lin Zexu undertook an expedition to destroy illicit opium and detained the entire foreign community in Guangzhou which in fact led to an “Opium war” between the Chinese and the imperial British. The Chinese lost the war and were compelled to sign the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842. Under this treaty China ceded the Island of Hong Kong to the British while opened five ports to British residence. This treaty was humiliation to China. The treaty was unequal in nature. The Island of Hong Kong was handed over to China on 1st July of 1997 ending 156 years of rule by the British.

The National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference held in Beijing in June 2017, however, emphasised an anti-corruption campaign in China and building a moderately prosperous society while deepening reform and advancing rule of law and strictly governing the party. China’s economy is targeting a reasonable range of growth between 6.0 and 7.0 per cent.

China President Xi Jinping unveiled the Silk Road Economic Belt concept in September of 2013 during his visit to Kazakhstan wherein he proposed that China and Central Asia cooperate to build a silk road economic belt. The ancient silk route included Samarkand, Bukhara and Ghazni in Central Asia. Therefore, President Xi unveiled his dream project in Kazakhstan. During ancient time, trade caravans moved through cities of Kazakhstan from the border of China and moved to Persia as well.

President Xi Jinping has not only now revived the old silk route but also expanded it to cover Europe as well. International cooperation in the economic field and connectivity were pledged at the two-day Belt and Road forum on May 13-14 in 2017 in Beijing. Twenty nine countries, including Bangladesh participated in the forum despite India’s objection. India which is a part of BCIM- Economic corridor of China delivered an implicit criticism against China because its state-owned companies are working in Pakistan-held Azad Kashmir, the Himalaya region claimed by both sides. It is not understood why the Prime Minister of Bangladesh did not participate in the forum where leaders from Myanmar, Malaysia, Pakistan, Turkey and Russia participated. China in fact has become a major donor country to Bangladesh since establishing diplomatic relations in January of 1976. During the first visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in 30 years, a loan agreement amounting to $24 billion was signed with Bangladesh in 2016. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also visited China three times by now. Bangladesh and China shared defence, economic, political and people to people ties.

President Xi in his keynote paper has spoken of openness, inclusiveness of nations, mutual learning through exchange of knowledge and mutual benefit through flow of goods and people as well. President Xi is of the opinion that China does not want to dictate others but he emphasised economic integration and cooperation in financial regulation, anti-terrorism and security. By implication it means China would play a dominant role. The Chinese President said, “We should foster a vision of common, comprehensive cooperation and sustainable security”. The President announced a total of $113 billion earmarked for the project of Belt and Road. That includes lending $55 billion by two non-commercial Chinese state banks of the amount, $14.5 billion was earmarked for the Silk and Road fund, set up in 2014. Chinese government has also committed to provide financial aid worth $8.7 billion to developing countries and international organisations as well. China established the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in 2014 to finance ports, highways and other projects. China had begun construction of railways in some part of Africa, including Bangladesh.

China was awarded a $3.1 billion project contract in 2016 to build a rail network to connect Dhaka with Jashore, a distance of 168 kilometres. It is being designed to run at a speed of 120 kilometre per hour. The rail link project included construction of 66 main bridges, 244 minor bridges plus 14 new railway stations while procuring 100 passenger coaches. China was also awarded a contract to build the Padma Bridge in 2014. The 25-metre-wide and 10-kilometre-long bridge over the River Padma will be built by China’s Major Bridge Engineering Company Ltd at a cost of $1.55 billion in four years’ time. These projects are part of the Belt and Road Initiative. By implication, China maintains the carrot-and -stick policy while doing business under the Belt and Road project.

Political analysts and diplomats are of the opinion that China is trying to create a political clout and an economic network to push the United States out of the region.

Mohammad Amjad Hossain, retired diplomat from Bangladesh and former President of Nova chapter of International Toastmaster club of America, writes from Virginia, USA.

Emerging tourism industry in Bangladesh
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Emerging tourism industry in Bangladesh

Published in the Financial Express on November 30, 2017

There is any doubt that tourism has become industry in the 21st century in the world. Tourism has assumed one of the world’s fastest growing industry which has become a major source of income generation and major foreign exchange earner in many countries in the world. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNTO) defines” tours as the activities of the person travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year of leisure, business or other purposes.”

As a result, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) started celebrating the World Tourist Day on September 27 since 1980. Therefore, Bangladesh has observed world tourist day jointly by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation and Bangladesh Tourism Board. According to policy guideline of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation of 2010, tourism still remains at taking off level in Bangladesh. foreign exchange earnings from tourism sector in 2010 stands at 5562.70 million takas, but World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) reported tourism contributed to 296.6 billion taka which covers 1.9 per cent of GDP of Bangladesh in 2014. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which was established with 32 business magnates in 1990, promotes awareness about economic contribution made by the travel and tourism industry. According to this Council, the travel and tourism industry in Bangladesh directly generated 1281500 jobs in 2012 which represents 1.8 per cent of the country’s total employment.

The government of Bangladesh plans to make middle income country. Therefore, government should pay more attention to develop tourism as an industry to generate foreign currency. Since mid 70’s several new industries have been developed in Bangladesh. Of which garment industry tops the list within couple of years followed by pharmaceutical, fisheries and ceramic industries.

Bangladesh is multiracial country where Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Christians have been residing for centuries and leaving behind many archeological sites of interest to witness indeed. Physiography of Bangladesh has been characterized by two distinct features: a broad deltaic plain, a small hilly region in Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts while low hilly region of Sylhet in the north east. Landmass is made up of fertile alluvial low land known as Bangladesh plain.

Bangladesh inherited rich cultural heritage. The present Bangladesh was a part of ancient Bengal where foreign tourists, including Chinese traveller-historian, Fa-Xien, Tao Lin and Huen-Tsang visited Bengal in fourth and seventh centuries and Buddhist monks of ancient China of Tang dynasty visited the ancient Kingdoms of Samatata, Purnavardhana and Karnsuvarna in 627 AD. Detailed records of these Kingdoms are available in the records of the western regions of the Great Tang dynasty prepared by Monk Xuan Zang. Bengal was flourished during rule of Sultan Giyasuddin Azam Shah of Sonargaon. This has been reflected in writing of Ibn Batuta, the Moroccan traveller, who visited Sylhet to meet Great Sufi Hazrat Shah Jalal and Sonargaon. In fact, Ibn Batuta boarded a Chinese Junk at Sonargaon to travel to Java.

The history of present Bangladesh had been subjected to exploitation and suppression since seventh century when the first trade relations developed with Portugal, France, Holland and the British until 1947.Bangladesh was also exploited by Pakistan when she became part of Pakistan after partition in August of 1947.

The gentle alluvial plains of Bangladesh are the product of three mighty rivers of South Asia: The Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna while it is commonly divided into three major physiographic units — the hilly and foothill region, the coastal belt and the lower Gangetic plain.

Bangladesh is possibly known to outside world for the longest unbreakable sea beach in the Bay of Bengal in Cox’s Bazar of Chittagong district and the Sundarbans natural forest where Royal Bengal Tigers and spotted Dears are seen. The Sundarbans is having largest amount of bio diversity and largest mangrove forest in the World. UNESCO declared Sundarbans as World Heritage. Another scenic beauty is located at Kua Kata in Patuakhali district. The sea beach at Kuakata is sandy but tourist can have rare view of sunrise and sunset over the Bay of Bengal. Story goes that Rakhine settlers were driven out of Arakan by the Mughals in eighteenth century who settled in KuaKata. They had begun digging on the seashore to get drinking waters. According to Firoz Mahmud, who served as Deputy Keeper of Bangladesh National Museum, discovery of Northern Black Polished Pottery leads to the clue to the earliest known archaeological site of Iron Age in Bangladesh in Mahasthangarh in Bogra while archeological excavation in Mainamati in Comilla provides history of south-eastern Bengal from the seventh to the twelfth century AD.

Possibly many people in Bangladesh are not aware of historical place in Dinajpur district which goes back to Pal and Sen dynasties. Tapan Dighi is situated in the village Tapan. There is myth that King Laxman Sen dug this lake while panoramic view is seen from Sarong Bari forest. Dinajpur Rajbari and Boll Ma Kali temple are worth seeing places in Dinajpur. Except tea gardens in Sylhet tourist may also find interest to see ornate tomb and mosque of Hazrat Shah Jalal, the tiny museum of Rajas containing belongings of local folk poet Hasan Raja and 3-doomed gateway stands at 17th century Shahi Edgah and a huge open-air hilltop mosque built by Emperor Aurangzeb. The sixty Dome mosque which is located at Bagerhat in Khulna which is known as 15th century Islamic edifice. It was established during Tughlaq dynasty in India. UNESCO also declared it as World Heritage. Mausoleum of Fakir Lalan Shah at Seuria in Kushtia is worth seeing place, particularly during Baul songs competition. A great mystic poet and lyricist presented numerous devotional and spiritual songs who died in 1890.A research center was built near the Mausoleum. Rabindranath Tagore collected his many songs and published in Bangla calendar year 1332.

The tourism industry in Bangladesh should be developed as it is lagging behind in competition with neighbouring countries like Nepal and India.
A sense of participation by Bangladeshis themselves in promoting tourism can hardly be overemphasised. Officials at the Ministry of Foreign affairs, the External Resources Division and the Ministry of Labour should be encouraged to know history of Bangladesh and acquaint themselves with historical places in promoting to foreigners during their postings in Bangladesh missions. These officials in fact are totally ignorant of rich cultural heritage of Bangladesh. While serving in Bangladesh Civil Service and Foreign Affairs Academy on deputation from the Ministry of Foreign affairs this writer introduced tours for the newly recruited foreign service officers in 1992. Foreign Service Academy was merged with BSC academy in 1985 by President Ershad on personal grudge against the then principal of Foreign Service Academy. Now Foreign Service Academy has got its status independent again.

There is hardly any need to emphasis to develop infrastructures linking Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi with historic places in Bangladesh to facilitate foreign tourist to travel comfortably. Equally important suggestion is that hotel management should consider in consultation with Bangladesh authorities to open casinos and big swimming pool in first class hotels. A big birds cage should be placed along the swimming pools. In this connection, this writer repeat what Somphot Piyaui, Managing Director of 5 star Dusi Thani hotel in Bangkok and proprietor of hundred trolley boats for fishing in Thailand, confided to this writer in first week of March of 1977 while he was on a visit to Bangladesh to open new hotel next to Hotel Intercontinental and joint venture in fishing in the Bay of Bengal to stop piracy by fishermen from Thailand. This writer was told that Malaysia, Egypt and a few other Muslim countries allow Casinos in hotels for foreign tourists which this writer witnessed in Malaysia during diplomatic assignment from 1977 to 1981. Another interesting suggestion came from him was that hotel management should consider importing “moving flower” which means young Thai girls to serve guests in the hotels. Somphot was of the opinion that people from Arab countries would rush to Bangladesh being a Muslim country instead of going to Thailand or other country. That would have opened door for petro-dollar to fly to Bangladesh. Incidentally, Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Air-Vice Marshal AG Mahmud, a diehard Muslim, rejected the proposal. This writer was the host officer to two-member delegation from Thailand led by Somphot Piyaui.

Another suggestion is that authorities should ensure with the cooperation of police authorities the safety of tourists in Cox’s Bazar, Kuakata, the Sunderbans and Coral Island in St. Martin in particular. This has become all the more priority in view of series of murder of foreigners, including staff of foreign embassy. The report released by New York based Human Rights watch in July 2017 that at least ninety people were victims of enforced disappearances in 2016 while countless extrajudicial killings and secret detention in Bangladesh placed Bangladesh in an adverse position. Twenty people, mostly foreigners had been killed in an attack on a café at Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka on 2 July of 2016 is another adverse circumstance which has caused negative impact on foreign tourist to visit Bangladesh. Therefore, law and order need to be improved in first place to open door to tourists to earn foreign exchange.