DHAKA: A 14-member delegation comprising of top leaders from Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami and "other friendly Islamic political parties" - including the Khalifa Movement, Khalifa Council, Islamic Order Party - reached Beijing on Thursday on what is the second visit to China by the political leaders of the country this month, at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CCP).
The touring party is led by Jamaat-e-Islami's central Nayeb-e-Ameer (Vice President) and former Member of Parliament, Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher.
"This marks the first instance in which leaders from Jamaat or any Islamic party have received an official invitation from the CPC. The delegation is expected to return to Bangladesh on December 5. When asked about the purpose of the visit, Abdullah Mohammad Taher described it as a courtesy visit but declined to elaborate further, " reported Bangladesh's Daily Star.
Earlier this month, a four-member delegation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) visited China, also on an invitation from the CPC.
The Islamist leaders' visit to Beijing comes at a time when the interim government in Bangladesh, headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, has been accused of targeting the minorities in the country, especially the Hindu community.
The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh held a farewell party for the joint delegation of Bangladeshi Islamic political parties before their visit to China on November 25, the day Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha and head of Pundarik Dham who is also associated with ISKCON, was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen delivered a speech at Monday's farewell party which the embassy said was attended by the leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami Party, Shafiqul, and senior leaders of the Khalifa Movement, Khalifa Council, Islamic Order Party, and Ansar Dine Organisation.
In his speech, the Chinese Ambassador asserted that Bangladesh is currently at a critical period of historical transition and China is committed to deepening friendly cooperation with the interim government of Bangladesh, political parties and all sectors of society.
"It is hoped that this friendly visit to China will be a new starting point to further strengthen the inter-party cooperation between the two sides and jointly promote the continuous development of the China-Bangladesh comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to better benefit the two countries and their peoples, " Ambassador Yao Wen was quoted as saying at the event in a statement released by the embassy.
Shafiqul, leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami, thanked the Chinese Embassy for providing the "valuable opportunity" and said that the Jamaat-e-Islami and other "friendly Islamic political parties" insist on friendship with China and firmly adhere to the one-China principle.