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TOKYO: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has urged every expatriate Bangladeshi to act as an ambassador for the country by promoting its investment potential and positive image abroad.
He made the call while addressing an exchange of views with expatriate Bangladeshis and members of the business community in Japan at Hotel New Otani in Tokyo on Wednesday afternoon local time.
The event was organised by the Bangladesh Community in Japan. Several expatriate Bangladeshis shared their views and asked the prime minister questions on various issues. They welcomed Tarique Rahman and other guests with applause as they arrived at the venue.
Responding to questions, the prime minister outlined his plans for Japanese-language education, children’s development through healthcare and sports, business facilitation, reopening closed mills and factories, investment and employment generation.
He also called on expatriate Bangladeshis to play an active role in the country’s development, reform initiatives and efforts to attract international investment.
“You are each an ambassador and a key representative of Bangladesh on foreign soil. If you, alongside the government, highlight Bangladesh’s investment potential and positive aspects to Japanese businesspeople and policymakers, the country and its people will benefit in the long run,” he said.
Referring to the strong response from Japanese investors, Tarique Rahman said discussions with the Japanese government, senior leaders and the business community had revealed considerable interest in investing in Bangladesh.
He recalled Japan’s contribution to Bangladesh’s reconstruction and economic development before and after independence, saying Japanese investors were keen to invest in the country. Bangladesh now needed to strengthen its administrative and economic preparedness to bring those investments in quickly, he added.
The prime minister identified four expected benefits of increased investment: attracting substantial domestic and foreign capital, establishing new industries and factories that would become national assets, creating large-scale employment opportunities for young people, and strengthening the overall economy through foreign exchange earnings.
Emphasising improvements in ordinary people’s living standards, he said reforms that directly benefited working-class and marginalised people were more urgent than theoretical discussions held in air-conditioned rooms.
Outlining his government’s priorities, Tarique Rahman stressed the need to modernise the education system and introduce traffic-safety education. He said a modern education system was essential to securing the future of the next generation and that a decision to include a new book on road safety and traffic awareness for primary schoolchildren had already been implemented for the new academic year.
He said meaningful reform also meant ensuring quality healthcare was accessible to ordinary people at their doorsteps and making healthcare services less complicated.
On environmental protection, the prime minister said the government had launched an ambitious plan to plant 250 million trees across urban and rural areas over the next five years. The initiative would help reduce air pollution and protect ecological balance, he said.
Addressing groundwater depletion, he said excessive extraction was causing water levels to fall sharply. The government planned to revive effective canal excavation initiatives, similar to the historic programme launched by Shaheed Ziaur Rahman, to replenish groundwater and prevent future water shortages.
Tarique Rahman also said more than 500 closed mills and factories had already been reopened to help tackle youth unemployment, while efforts were under way to restart 46 major state-owned factories by 2027.
At the end of his address, he called on people of all political views to rise above their differences and unite to build a democratic, self-reliant and prosperous Bangladesh.
He said there could be no disagreement over ensuring that every child received a good education and healthcare, had enough food to eat and could breathe clean air.
The prime minister sought the cooperation and prayers of expatriate Bangladeshis in Japan and people at home to achieve these goals.
He also alleged that efforts were being made to create an atmosphere in which his government would be unable to implement reforms that benefited the most disadvantaged sections of society.
Addressing Bangladeshis inside and outside the venue who were following the event online, he urged them to support the government’s reform efforts if they believed the initiatives were in the public interest.
“I am not asking you to vote for us. If you believe we are trying to do the right things, at least support these initiatives so that we can carry them out,” he said, drawing loud applause from the expatriate audience.
The prime minister also criticised social media users for mocking Mohammad Tarique Rahman, member secretary of the Am Janata Party, who was part of the delegation accompanying him to Japan. He said online discussions had focused on the visitor’s presence and the alleged waste of public money, while many other important problems facing the country received little attention.
The event was moderated by Abdus Sattar Patwary, a member of the BNP’s executive committee.
Those attending included the prime minister’s wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman; Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury; Finance and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir; Civil Aviation Minister Rashiduzzaman Millat; State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humaiun Kobir; State Minister for Energy Anindya Islam Amit; Special Assistant Shakirul Islam Khan; and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Chairman Ashik Chowdhury, among other members of the delegation.
Japan BNP President Reza Mir, General Secretary Emdadul Haque Moni, Vice-President Masum Zakir, business leader Kazi Sarwar Habib (NRB-CIP) and Office Secretary Abul Khayer were also present, along with a large number of expatriate Bangladeshis.
The Japan BNP presented photographs to the prime minister and his wife, Zubaida Rahman, at the event.