A man takes photos of a train ready for a trial run along the newly-constructed mega Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) rail line via the China-built Bangladesh's largest Padma Bridge on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sept. 7, 2023.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation embraces the historical trend of economic globalization, responds to the call for improving the global governance system, and meets people's longing for a better life which is the fundamental reason why it always has been strong, said Bangladeshi experts.

Tens of speakers from diverse sectors in Bangladesh and China, including academia, business and media, shared their perspectives at a discussion meeting here on Monday, opining that Bangladesh is a proud member of the BRI which plays a significant role in the country's economic developments.

The Center for East Asia Foundation (CEAF), a non-profit and non-political independent study circle, has organized the roundtable discussion titled "China-Bangladesh Relations and The Belt and Road Initiative" at the University of Dhaka.

Nasim Mahmmud, executive director of the CEAF, in his welcome remarks said China has always extended its firm support to Bangladesh in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and opposing external interference.

He said Bangladesh-China relations are based on mutual respect and win-win outcome.

Dean of Faculty of Business Studies at the University of Dhaka Muhammad Abdul Moyeen said that Bangladesh has already started benefiting from the BRI, including China's financial investment.

He also said that the investment made by the BRI will continue to contribute to the development of Bangladesh's competitiveness in the future and the realization of Vision 2041.

This aerial photo taken on April 15, 2023 shows a view of the construction site of Bangladesh's Ghorashal-Polash Urea Fertilizer Project in Narsingdi, Bangladesh. TO GO WITH "Feature: Bangladesh's first green fertilizer factory built under China's BRI nears completion" (Xinhua)

Wang Jian, director of the Institute of International Relations from Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said that the BRI has given a strong boost to Bangladesh's development, with significant improvement in its infrastructure such as roads, bridges and power generation, as well as the growth of China-Bangladesh trade.

Next, the BRI cooperation between China and Bangladesh will adhere to the principles of benefiting people's lives and sustainability. In addition to promoting hard connectivity and investment, China and Bangladesh should also align with the people-centered core of the Global Development Initiative to promote soft connectivity and investment, such as personnel training, development experience sharing, education and people-to-people cooperation, and work together to carry out small and beautiful projects, Wang added.

In his concluding remarks, former Bangladeshi Ambassador to China and Chairman of the CEAF Mahbub Uz Zaman said, "I am convinced that under the framework of the BRI, more and more Chinese enterprises and people will devote themselves to the goal of Smart Bangladesh, proposing Chinese solutions and making even more contributions to the realization of (Bangladesh's) Vision 2041."

Talking to Xinhua on the sidelines of the event, he said both Bangladesh and China are cooperating on the BRI which Bangladesh joined in 2016. "It is expected that this cooperation, especially under the Belt and Road Initiative, will grow further and expand in the future."