From Diplomatic Rhetoric to People-to-People Connectivity: Language Capacity Building Through Chinese Film Dissemination in Bangladesh

China and Bangladesh raised their bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership in 2024 under the Belt and Road Initiative. Although there is an emphasis on connectivity, mutual trust, and shared development, these themes do not always translate smoothly into practice because of comprehension challenges. This study adopts a qualitative case-based approach to examine how linguistic and communicative factors shape the functioning of the partnership. The dissemination of Chinese films in Bangladesh is studied as an illustrative example, showing how policy intentions interact with media routines and the communicative habits of local audiences. Drawing on policy texts, media accounts, and interview materials, the study explores how official discourse is translated into public understanding. The study pays attention to how language influences public interpretations of China and the broader aims of the partnership. Findings suggest that language capacity, including translation, media communication and cultural adaptation, plays a significant role in sustaining people-to-people connectivity and in supporting the effective implementation of policy initiatives, making it a strategic infrastructure for partnership realization.