The 2010 World Exposition in Shanghai will be the first registered one in a developing country. Officially known as “Expo Shanghai 2010,” it will last 184 days and provide China an opportunity to show off its remarkable economic growth. The expo will also give foreign nations and companies a chance to further develop business partnerships with China and Chinese companies. This is the eighteenth in an ongoing series that will look at the upcoming expo, from country pavilions to trade development. In this article, we take a look at the Bangladeshi Pavilion.

By Peter Higgins

May 7 – Bangladesh was the 188th country to sign on and join Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Their joint pavilion measures 324 square and features the theme “Spirit and Growth of Golden Bengal.”

The pavilion’s design highlights the blending of tradition and the future within the nation. Pictures of new urban areas, models of traditional Bangladeshi architecture, and a small sculpture are all featured inside the pavilion. The entrance is decorated with colorful patterns from the South Asian nation. Visitors can indulge in traditional Bangladeshi food at the catering booth inside.

At the March 2009 ceremony celebrating the agreement to join Expo, Bangladesh’s Commerce Ministry Secretary Feroz Ahmed said, “China is our good friend and one of the biggest trade partners. We hope through [our] participation the bilateral relations and trade between the two countries, as well as our relations with other countries, will be further strengthened.”

China and Bangladesh share close diplomatic and economic ties. South Asia is of growing strategic importance to China, and a closer relationship with the Bangladeshi government is an important check on Indian influence in the region. According to the Jamestown Foundation, much of the equipment used by Bangladesh’s army, navy and air force is supplied by China. Economically, the two nations are continuously strengthening their relationship through trade agreements and infrastructure projects like the Kunming Highway. The 900-kilometer long roadway will link Chittagong in Bangladesh’s east with Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, in Southwestern China by way of Myanmar.

With a population of over 162 million, Bangladesh is the world’s seventh most populous nation. However, it ranks 55th on a 2009 International Monetary Fund list of country’s by nominal GDP, with a GDP per capita of just US$573. Bangladesh hopes that stronger political and economic ties with China will help grow its economy. Like many other nations, it is hoping that its participation in Expo 2010 will help achieve its goals.

Further Reading
The Complete Shanghai Expo 2010 Series