In this era of globalization the importance of connectivity needs no explanation. This connectivity could be infrastructural, economic as well as technological connectivity that brings people and product around the world closer. When we are emphasizing on the importance of connectivity the initiatives taken by regional and sub regional groupings comes into picture. The project which is focused here introduced as the project of the century by Chinese president Xi Jinping, well China is the initiator of this project which would be connecting different continents of the world. This project would be the one of this kind in the history of the centuries.
Belt and road Initiative connects Asia, Europe and Africa through the Belt and Road, where the belt recreates the old Silk Road and The Road, which is not actually a Road but a maritime route through various Oceans linking the continents. China has invested more than 900 billion dollars in projects along The Belt and Road mainly in infrastructure, transport and energy.
As a most talked topic in the region this mega project has positive as well as negative aspects that should be considered by the countries along the Belt and road. And especially for Bangladesh this project could be a path towards developments but the path obviously is not plain and smooth. When it comes to BRI and Bangladesh’s interest what we need to look at first is the connectivity and lucrative investments that are coming with BRI projects and the country should be able to coordinate the investments properly.
Bangladesh’s good neighbor India is not a part of BRI and they are not ready to join the initiative even not welcoming the mega project. India as an emerging power, it has its own strategy and interest in the region. Still now the management is handling good relation with both India and China that is obviously a plus point to extract the positive interests from BRI. According to a Nomura Group report, Bangladesh is expected to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the China-led US$1.5 trillion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and set to receive total investment of $38 billion, equivalent to 15 per cent of its 2017 GDP, under the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Corridor.
> Alma Siddiqua
Belt and Road Initiative
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