AL, BNP hope for stronger ties with China

Both ruling Awami League and BNP yesterday hoped for stronger ties with China, after leaders of the two parties met with a visiting delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dhaka.

The six-member team, headed by CPC Vice-minister Guo Yezhou, arrived at the invitation of AL.

Terming China a close friend, AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said Dhaka wanted to deepen the relations with Beijing.

"Though there was some sort of setback in the relation between Bangladesh and China during the Liberation War, a friendly relation now exists between the two countries," he told reporters after meeting with the Chinese delegation at the Sonargaon hotel.

After the team met with BNP chief Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan residence, BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan said China expected political stability and peaceful atmosphere in Bangladesh for the sake of its democratic progress and overall development.