China donates 1,000 firefighting motorcycles to Bangladesh

Chen Wei (2nd R), charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, shakes hands with Brigadier General Md Sazzad Hussain (2nd L), director general of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense, during a handover ceremony of 1,000 firefighting motorcycles donated by the Chinese government in Purbachal, Bangladesh, May 2, 2019. China on Thursday donated 1,000 firefighting motorcycles to Bangladesh in a bid to help strengthen the operational capability of Bangladesh's fire service and civil defense. Chen Wei, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, handed over the motorcycles to the Bangladesh authorities at a ceremony at Purbachal, a new township on the eastern side of capital Dhaka. (Xinhua/Stringer)

DHAKA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday donated 1,000 firefighting motorcycles to Bangladesh in a bid to help strengthen the operational capability of Bangladesh's fire service and civil defense.

Chen Wei, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, handed over the motorcycles to the Bangladesh authorities at a ceremony at Purbachal, a new township on the eastern side of capital Dhaka.

Brigadier General Md Sazzad Hussain, director general of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense, among others, attended the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Chen said these firefighting motorcycles have strong mobility which are very suitable for the traffic and road conditions of Bangladesh.

"Both China and Bangladesh are developing countries and we all face the arduous task of developing economy and improving people's livelihood," Chen said.

According to the diplomat, the Chinese government's foreign aid belongs to the scope of South-South cooperation which are mutual assistance among developing countries.

The Chinese side will continue to provide assistance to Bangladesh to the best of its ability with an aim to reduce the people and economic losses caused by various disasters, promote Bangladesh's economic and social development, and enhance people's livelihood and well-being, he said.

Director General Sazzad Hussain expressed sincere gratitude to the Chinese government and its people for the contribution.

"In 2013, when we experienced Rana Plaza building collapse incident (leaving over 1,130 people dead) the greatest man-made havoc of the world, the great people of China have extended their cooperation with the commitment to providing calamity rescue equipment to Bangladesh Fire Serivce and Civil Defense," he said, adding that "we are having 1,000 firefighting motorcycles as the part of the same commitment."

Against this backdrop, Hussain said, "I have no hesitation to say that the operational capability of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense has been strengthened to a great extent with the addition of these calamity rescue equipment."