The “2024 International Friendship City Youth Leaders Dialogue with Jiangxi” program, themed “Contribute with Youth Power and Build a Better World Together,” was successfully held, featuring participation from Bangladeshi representatives invited by local government authorities.

The day-long dialogue took place on Monday in Nanchang, the capital of China’s Jiangxi Province, under the chairmanship of Fan Yong, Director General of the Jiangxi Provincial Foreign Affairs Office.

The event was organized by the Jiangxi People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Jiangxi Youth Federation, and the Jiangxi China Vocational Education Society, in collaboration with the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Speakers at the opening ceremony included Shen Xin, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Shi Ke, Vice Governor of the Jiangxi Provincial Government, and Mehdi Nadi, First Vice Chairman of the Iran-China Friendship Association, among other dignitaries.

During the forum, three sub-forums were held simultaneously, where youth representatives exchanged ideas. They shared stories of their experiences, discussed development plans to help young people realize their life’s value through vocational education, and aimed to enhance cultural heritage. Additionally, they explored opportunities for cultural exchanges and shared ideas and opinions on implementing international projects.

After the dialogue, foreign youth representatives visited various sites across Jiangxi Province, including Jiujiang, Jingdezhen, Qian, and Ganzhou, to gain firsthand experience of the province’s economic development, scientific and technological innovation, rural revitalization, environmental protection, and other projects.

Over 200 youth representatives from 22 countries, including Bangladesh, Iran, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal, Russia, France, Hungary, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Mexico, Argentina, and Madagascar, participated in the dialogue.

Hundreds of thousands participated in student protests across Dhaka, Chattogram, and other regions yesterday, with the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital becoming the epicenter of the movement.

From a massive gathering at the Shaheed Minar, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement coordinators declared their “one-point demand” for the resignation of the current government. They also called for the establishment of an “acceptable and inclusive” national government.

Crowds began to assemble at the Shaheed Minar from 2 pm, swelling to over a thousand students by 2:45 pm. Shortly after, a procession of freedom fighters joined, adding more than a hundred people. By 3:10 pm, a significant number of students from Jhigatala arrived, followed by nearly double that number from Shantinagar and Badda. By 3:45 pm, the surrounding streets were packed with students and supporters.

Rickshaw pullers joined the protests, chanting slogans alongside teachers, musicians, architects, doctors, and other professionals. Parents arrived with their children, many wearing red-green bandanas and carrying flags.

Around 5:30 pm, Nahid Islam, on behalf of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, read a statement highlighting the reasons for their demand:

• Under the current government’s orders, indiscriminate mass killings have occurred, sparing no one—women, children, students, teachers, or workers.
• Instead of prosecuting these atrocities, the government is arbitrarily arresting and torturing students and the public.
• Law enforcement agencies used lethal firearms to carry out these killings.
• Students, teachers, workers, and the general public believe impartial justice and investigation are not possible under this government.

Thus, the movement declared a one-point demand for the resignation of the current autocratic government and the formation of an acceptable and inclusive national government.

Protesters concluded their program around 6 pm, tying red clothes on the faces of the Raju Memorial and Joy Bangla Joy ​​Tarunya Sculptures on their way from Shaheed Minar to Shahbagh. They then gathered at the Shahbagh intersection around 7 pm, chanting slogans.

Despite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s offer for talks, the students have no plans to meet with the government, according to a coordinator. Reports indicate that the PM has tasked three senior Awami League leaders to communicate with the protest coordinators.

Protests and occasional violence occurred in other areas as well. Students, teachers, and locals protested in Mirpur-10, Basundhara, Shantinagar, and Science Lab areas of Dhaka.

In Mirpur, Basundhara, and Science Lab areas, protests were peaceful, but other regions saw sporadic clashes. A man named Jahangir Alam, 45, died amid clashes between police and protesters in Gazipur’s Sreepur.

In Chattogram, thousands gathered in the New Market area, chanting for justice for their slain classmates. In Narayanganj, protesters blocked roads near the Chashara intersection at around 11:30 am. Students from various institutions started a procession from Chashara Shaheed Minar along Bangabandhu Road towards the No-2 Railway Gate.

In Rajshahi, students and locals blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway at 10 am, chanting slogans with the support of university teachers, lawyers, and professionals.

In Cumilla, at least 30 people were injured, including five with bullet wounds, as Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League activists allegedly attacked protesters near the Police Lines area around 1:30 pm.

To foster friendship and cooperation between China’s Ningxia and other nations, and to showcase the dynamic, open, and innovative Ningxia, the 2024 International Youth Friendship Camp was held with the theme “A Date with Youth in Ningxia,” featuring participation from Bangladesh.

From July 26 to July 31, the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region organized the camp. Bai Yuzhen, Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office, delivered a speech and presented the flag to the Friendship Camp.d

In her address, Bai Yuzhen warmly welcomed the campers and team leaders from various countries and regions. She emphasized that the camp embodies the belief that the future lies with the youth and vitality in the local community. It serves as a grand gathering for Chinese and foreign youth, fostering closeness and understanding. She hoped that young participants would build friendships, appreciate diverse perspectives, and contribute to a community with a shared future for humanity through mutual learning and cooperation.

Invited by the Foreign Affairs Office, Bangladeshi student Mohammad Saiyedul Islam, a doctoral candidate at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, represented Bangladesh at the camp.

During the five-day event, young people from various countries built friendships and understanding through interactive exchanges and field visits across Ningxia. They explored the Yinchuan Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Center, Ningxia Bairuiyuan Wolfberry Museum, and Ningxia Shapotou National Nature Reserve. These visits provided insights into Ningxia’s unique industries, ecological protection efforts, traditional culture, and local customs. Participants stayed with local families and visited desert camps, experiencing Ningxia’s high-quality development and modern achievements.

Ayaran Rakhmanova, team leader from Kazakhstan, praised the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, which attracts many international visitors to China. She admired Ningxia’s harmonious coexistence of diverse ethnic groups and its people’s improved living conditions. She expressed joy in experiencing Ningxia’s hope and vitality firsthand.

Mohammad Saiyedul Islam, the team leader from Bangladesh, shared his experience of witnessing friendship that transcends borders and cultures. He emphasized the importance of communication and mutual understanding among youth from different backgrounds. He described Ningxia as vibrant, open, and innovative, and expressed hope for stronger ties and new stories of collaboration between international youth and Ningxia.

Sophia Nabila from Malaysia remarked that Ningxia had always been on her travel list, and experiencing it firsthand was a significant chapter in her life. She highlighted the camp’s spirit of friendship and unity, noting that it showed how people could celebrate their unique identities together. She extended an invitation to her new friends to visit Malaysia.

Officials from the Foreign Affairs Office of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Party Committee, the Culture and Tourism Department of the Autonomous Region, the Youth League Committee of the Autonomous Region, and Ningxia Radio and Television Station attended the opening ceremony.

The event brought together 34 youth representatives from 12 countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Mongolia, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan, along with 13 Chinese youth representatives from Ningxia.

Since its inception in 2002, the Ningxia International Youth Friendship Camp has successfully held 19 sessions, hosting over a thousand foreign youths. The camp has become a significant platform for international youth exchange in Ningxia, promoting people-to-people connectivity and enhancing relations between Ningxia and its international sister cities.