China congratulates Moyeen Khan, pledges 10,000 crore taka housing project in Dhaka

China has pledged to deepen cooperation with Bangladesh in infrastructure, urban development, waste management, port operations and renewable energy, while agreeing to implement a 10,000 crore taka modern housing project for slum residents in Dhaka-17.

The commitment came during a meeting between Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan at the Secretariat on Thursday.

At the meeting, the Chinese envoy congratulated Moyeen Khan on assuming his new responsibilities and expressed hope that bilateral relations would be further strengthened and cooperation expanded across new areas.

After the meeting, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shah-e-Alam told the media that China has agreed to implement the 10,000 crore taka housing project to rehabilitate residents of Korail, Sat Tala and Bhashantek slums under the Dhaka-17 constituency.

The project, proposed through the Economic Relations Division, will be implemented in phases.

Under the proposed scheme, small-unit flats will be constructed in 20-storey buildings, with slum residents allowed to live in the apartments without paying rent. Residents would only be required to cover utility costs, including gas, water and electricity.

If implemented as planned, the project could mark a major shift from conventional slum-clearance approaches by combining rehabilitation with permanent housing.

Waste management and sewage disposal in Dhaka were among the key issues discussed during the meeting.

The two sides also discussed expanding the pipeline network required to make the Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant fully operational, as well as strengthening urban water and sanitation infrastructure.

Moyeen Khan expressed hope that China’s expertise, technology and investment could contribute to improving Bangladesh’s urban infrastructure, particularly in water supply, waste management and city development.

The minister also called for increased cooperation in renewable energy, saying Chinese experience and technology could help accelerate Bangladesh’s development.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen said Bangladesh-China relations had reached a “new height” following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to China.

He said Beijing was interested not only in expanding economic relations but also in increasing people-to-people connectivity between the two countries.

The meeting also explored the possibility of introducing Mandarin or Chinese language education more widely in Bangladesh’s curriculum, potentially creating greater opportunities for cultural and educational exchanges.

Bangladesh looks to China for development expertise

Moyeen Khan described China as one of Bangladesh’s largest development partners and highlighted the importance of its longstanding cooperation in the country’s development.

He said Chinese experience, technology and investment could help Bangladesh accelerate projects in water supply, waste management, renewable energy and urban development.

The discussions come as Bangladesh faces mounting pressure to improve urban services while managing rapid population growth and persistent housing shortages in Dhaka.

The proposed 10,000 crore taka housing initiative therefore carries significance beyond the three targeted slum areas. Its success could provide a potential model for combining large-scale foreign development financing with urban rehabilitation and social housing.

However, details on the project's financing structure, implementation timeline, construction sites and institutional responsibilities were not immediately disclosed.

State Minister Mir Shahe Alam said the project would be implemented in phases, suggesting that the government's next challenge will be translating the agreement in principle into a detailed and executable development programme.

The meeting was attended by Local Government Division Secretary Md Shahidul Hassan, Dhaka WASA Managing Director Md Moniruzzaman and senior officials from the ministry, along with State Minister Mir Shahe Alam.

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