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DHAKA: State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir on Friday said Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to Japan was a total success, adding that no third country was discussed during the just-concluded official tour. He stressed that the visit focused exclusively on strengthening the economic partnership between the two countries
“We made it very clear… no third country reference. We didn’t go there to discuss the Bay of Bengal because the Bay of Bengal doesn’t belong to us only,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighting the achievements of the visit.
Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, who is set to become the next Foreign Secretary and Additional Foreign Secretary (Public Diplomacy and Other Priority Matters) AKM Shahidul Karim were also present at the media briefing.
The State Minister said Bangladesh is building a respectful bilateral economic partnership with Japan. “It’s an investment-driven partnership.”
In light of the rapidly changing global situation, increasing supply chain risks, rapid technological innovation and mounting social issues, Bangladesh and Japan agreed to upgrade BIG-B to “BIG-B for Shared Prosperity” as an initiative of “strategic cooperation” under the exclusive partnership between the two countries.
Responding to a question, Kobir said there was no scope for the government to go against the interests of the country and its people.
On the Rohingya issue, the State Minister said it was an important national security issue and Bangladesh continued to raise it, as the solution to the problem lies in Myanmar.
Rahman also said that Japan and Bangladesh had cultivated long-standing amicable relations and expressed his commitment to working together with Prime Minister Takaichi to take bilateral relations to new heights.
The two leaders concurred on upgrading the concept of the “Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B)” into a new strategic cooperation initiative, “BIG-B for Shared Prosperity”, based on four pillars: (1) strengthening connectivity; (2) preparedness for natural disasters and geopolitical risks; (3) public-private partnerships for the co-creation of economic growth opportunities and rule-making; and (4) cooperation for peace and stability.
They also agreed to work together to make the Bay of Bengal region, with Bangladesh as its hub, a “region of shared prosperity”.Buy Maps
Prime Minister Takaichi said upcoming private investment by Japanese businesses in Bangladesh is projected to reach one trillion yen over the next five years, with an expected 200,000 jobs to be created, and expressed her intention to send a business mission to Bangladesh in the near future.
In response, Tarique Rahman said he welcomed and highly valued investment from Japanese businesses.
The two leaders agreed that their governments would work to ensure the early entry into force of the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and promote cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, agricultural, forestry and fishery products, the environment and climate change, as well as aviation.
