BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said China has expressed its willingness to work more closely and warmly with Bangladesh’s next elected government.

“China has expressed the hope that it will work with Bangladesh’s next elected government with even greater sincerity, steadfastness, love and affection,” he told a press conference.

The press briefing was held at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, following a recent visit to China by a nine-member BNP delegation led by Fakhrul.

During the visit, Fakhrul said the BNP team discussed the Teesta project with Chinese authorities. “We explained our needs and requirements regarding this project and they responded positively.

He said the Chinese side is still working on the Teesta River water management project. “If they (China) propose this project in the future when we are given the responsibility of running the government, we think we will consider it positively.”

Fakhrul said the BNP delegation also urged China to play a more effective role in ensuring the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

He said the Chinese authorities assured them of their sincere efforts to convince the Myanmar government to agree to a quick repatriation of the Rohingyas.

The BNP leader said their visit has opened a window to improve and strengthen the friendly relations between the two “brotherly” countries—a bond he hopes will grow stronger in the future.

On June 22, a high-level nine-member BNP delegation, led by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, visited China for five days at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The other eight members of the BNP delegation were BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Begum Selima Rahman, Chairperson’s Advisers Zahir Uddin Swapan, Ismail Zabiullah, Professor Sukomal Barua, the party’s media cell convener Dr Moudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel, and BNP Chairperson’s Personal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar.

During the visit, Fakhrul said the BNP delegation held meetings with senior CPC leaders and discussed bilateral issues and ways to strengthen ties between the CPC and the BNP.