A general election was held in Bangladesh on January 7, which saw a decisive victory for the Awami League, the party that led the liberation struggle leading to the formation of an independent state. As a result Sheikh Hasina, party leader, and daughter of the country’s founding father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, became Prime Minister for her fourth consecutive – and fifth in total – term.
The election was boycotted by the main opposition party, the right-wing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), leading the United States and Britain to condemn the electoral process. However, China, Russia and India welcomed the Awami League’s victory.
Also boycotting the election was the Left Democratic Alliance, led by the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and consisting of six parties, also including the Socialist Party of Bangladesh. However, a number of other Marxist parties continued to form part of the Grand Alliance led by the Awami League. These include the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD – National Socialist Party), which won three seats, the Workers’ Party of Bangladesh, which won two seats, and the Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist) led by Dilip Barua.
On January 11, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Sheikh Hasina on her election victory. He said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 49 years ago, the two countries have respected each other, treated each other as equals, and shared mutual benefits.
Xi recalled that he and Hasina had met in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August last year, and reached an important consensus on developing China-Bangladesh relations.
The following article was originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.
BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday congratulated Sheikh Hasina on her reelection as Bangladeshi prime minister.
In his congratulatory message, Xi noted that China and Bangladesh are neighbors with traditional friendship.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 49 years ago, Xi said, the two countries have respected each other, treated each other as equals, and shared mutual benefits.
Xi said China and Bangladesh have always supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and joined hands in advancing their respective paths of development and revitalization, bringing tangible benefits to the peoples of the two countries.
Xi recalled that he and Hasina met in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August last year, and reached an important consensus on developing China-Bangladesh relations.
It is hoped that China and Bangladesh will work together to further implement the important consensus reached between the two sides, deepen political mutual trust, carry forward traditional friendship, strengthen the synergy of development strategies, enhance Belt and Road cooperation with high quality, and continuously push China-Bangladesh strategic cooperative partnership to new levels, Xi said.
On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang also sent a congratulatory message to Hasina.
