Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's Beijing Visit Marks Shift Amid Ongoing Political Violence

Bangladesh’s newly elected prime minister, Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, made his first foreign trip since taking office with visits to Malaysia and China from June 22 to 26. In Beijing he emphasized Bangladesh’s sovereignty and deepened the existing strategic partnership with China, agreeing to a feasibility study for the Teesta River management project and discussing a China‑Myanmar‑Bangladesh economic corridor that could reduce Dhaka’s reliance on India. China reiterated support for Bangladesh’s territorial integrity, echoing routine statements made in previous joint declarations.

Domestically, six months after Rahman assumed power, rights groups report that political violence has not abated. The organization Ain o Salish Kendra documented at least 66 politically related killings, 61 deaths in police custody and 11 extrajudicial killings since the new government began. Authorities dispute the trend, claiming improved conditions and attributing higher reporting to increased confidence among victims’ families. A notable case involved the disappearance and death of 17‑year‑old Mohammed Suman after a banned Awami League rally, with allegations of police and party‑linked brutality. The government says tensions may rise ahead of upcoming local elections, while Rahman has reportedly expelled party members implicated in violence.