As Bangladesh’s relations with India weaken, ties with China strengthen
But the government is keen to string both Asian giants along
SYLHET, A CITY in north-eastern Bangladesh, is some 50km from the border with India. But when the government awarded a $250m contract in April to build a new airport terminal in the city, the Indian bidder lost out to a Chinese firm, the Beijing Urban Construction Group. In June China granted duty-free access to 97% of Bangladesh’s exports. And this month Bangladesh, seemingly despairing of a decade-long negotiation with India on a water-sharing pact for the Teesta river, asked China to finance a $1bn water-management project instead.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Two-timing”
Asia September 19th 2020
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