China hopeful about Teesta project: envoy

China is hopeful about starting the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project after the national elections, said Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen yesterday.

"We have already received some proposals on the Teesta river development. The cost of those projects is very high. We want to implement the projects in phases," he said during a question-answer session at a seminar.

The seminar titled "National Image of China in Bangladesh" was held at a held at Sheraton, Dhaka was organised by the Centre for Alternatives (CA) in collaboration with the Chinese embassy in Dhaka today.

In 2020, the Ministry of Water Resources sought a $983 million loan from China to implement the project which involves dredging the river for navigability, building strong embankments, townships, industries on the two sides of the river, water reservoir and irrigation.

In March this year, the Chinese embassy sent a letter to the Economic Relations Division suggesting that the project can be implemented in phases.

At the seminar, Yao Wen said the relations between China and Bangladesh will improve further after the January 7 elections.

He said China wants the people of Bangladesh to know more about Chinese role in the development of Bangladesh as well as in South Asia. Chinese investment in Bangladesh is going up and the quality projects under the Belt and Road Initiative will take the relations to higher levels.