China readies Bangladesh's int'l convention center for migration summit

China has renovated Bangladesh's largest multi-purpose convention center which Beijing built as a token of friendship between China and Bangladesh about 15 years ago.

The renovation specially aimed at installing simultaneous interpretation equipment at the center ahead of a global summit scheduled to be held in Dhaka next month.

Ma Mingqiang, Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, Thursday handed over the newly renovated center to Md Shahidullah Khandaker, secretary of Bangladesh's Ministry of Housing and Public Works, at a ceremony.

The renovation started in June shortly after Bangladesh's Ministry of Housing and Public Works signed an agreement in this connection with the Chinese Embassy.

The Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC), also known as Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center situated at Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla, a busy commercial and central neighborhood, is still considered the only international conference center of Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi government has highly appreciated China for the entire renovation and up-gradation in scheduled time, supporting Dhaka's efforts to better arrange the Global Forum on Migration Development (GFMD) in the center, which has never seen such work in its system since its establishment in 2001.

Khandaker said China had completed the task in a shortest possible time. "We've long been getting Chinese support in all Bangladesh development works," he added.

Speaking at the ceremony, Khorshed Alam, acting secretary of Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry, said Bangladesh's relationship with China is deep-rooted.

Chinese Ambassador Ma Mingqiang said the relations between Bangladesh and China are now at the best stage. "We consider Bangladesh as very best friend, as development partner and as our good neighbor," he said. Endit