Daily Sun correspondent wins second prize in ‘Ni Hao China’ writing contest

Dr Mohammad Saiyedul Islam, a China correspondent of the Daily Sun, has won second prize in the “China’s Governance and Development Model” category of the ‘Ni Hao China’ Writing Contest 2026.

The award recognises outstanding writing aimed at promoting greater understanding of China’s development, culture, governance and relations with Bangladesh.

The prize-giving ceremony was held at the Bishwo Sahitya Kendra auditorium in the capital on Monday. The Association of Bangladesh-China Alumni (ABCA) and the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka jointly organised the contest.

Dr Md Shahabul Haque, general secretary of ABCA and professor in the Department of Political Studies at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, conducted the programme. Dr Mohammad Mainul Islam, vice-president of ABCA and professor in the Department of Population Sciences at the University of Dhaka, chaired the ceremony.

Li Shaopeng, cultural counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, attended the event as the chief guest.

Speakers highlighted the important role of young people in strengthening Bangladesh-China relations and promoting educational, cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Receiving the award, Dr Saiyedul, whose Chinese name is Wudi, said the recognition had encouraged him to continue his work to promote mutual understanding and strengthen people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and China.

Dr Saiyedul is currently a senior lecturer and researcher at the School of Overseas Education (School of Foreign Languages) at Sanming University in Fujian Province, China. He is also a senior research fellow at the Belt and Road Research Center of Daffodil International University in Bangladesh and an adjunct fellow at the ASEAN-China Research Center of the University of Indonesia.

He went to China in 2018 after receiving a Chinese government scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in international business at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics. He later completed his PhD in international trade at the same university under another Chinese government scholarship.

Originally from Nalua village in Narsingdi, Dr Saiyedul is the son of Mohammad Lutfur Rahman Barik and the eldest of his siblings.

Over the years, Dr Saiyedul has been involved in academic research, journalism, cultural exchange and Bangladesh-China people-to-people communication. His writings have focused on China’s development experience, modernisation and sustainable development, economic cooperation, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and the growing relationship between Bangladesh and China.

The ‘Ni Hao China’ Writing Contest aims to encourage Bangladeshi writers, researchers, students and young professionals to explore China from diverse perspectives and contribute to greater mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries.