From August 20 to 26, 2010, China’s poverty alleviation delegation, headed by Mr. Fan Xiaojian, Deputy Leader of the State Council Leading Group of Poverty Alleviation and Development, Director-General of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development (LGOP), carried out an work visit to Bangladesh. This visit was accompanied by IPRCC Director-General Wu Zhong.

 With the great assistance of Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, the delegation met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, and held an in-depth discussion with the ministers and the relevant officials from the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperation, and Ministry of Agriculture. The delegation also visited the two largest social alleviation agencies – Grameen Bank and Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), and thoroughly discussed with the founders of the two agencies, Nobel Prize Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and Sir Fazle Abed. They had field observation of the rural households benefiting from the micro-finance project in Kitingchor village, and had an in-depth interview with the women who obtained the loans to engage in weaving, cattle raising and sewing, as well as the beggars and college students who received loans. In addition, the delegation paid a visit to Joymontop Singair branch of Grameen Bank, BRAC-sponsored micro-finance project in Rajendrapur and local primary schools. Besides, taking advantage of all chances and occasions, the delegation got in touch and conducted exchanges with the social celebrities in the fields of poverty reduction and development in Bangladesh.

People in Bangladesh were very friendly to China, and sincerely admired China’s poverty reduction achievements. They expected to strength cooperation and exchanges in poverty reduction with the Chinese government and to obtain the latter’s help. During the various meetings, discussions and exchange activities, the delegation positively advocated the concepts of the CPC and Chinese government, i.e. putting people first, scientific development and continuous advancement of poverty reduction and development. They fully affirmed China’s tremendous achievements in poverty reduction and adequately expressed its major challenges and difficulties in poverty reduction. They were ready to further promote the bilateral exchanges and cooperation lending every effort in their power, and jointly boosted the poverty reduction undertakings of both countries.