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TOKYO, Oct 26: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sought Japan’s stronger cooperation in increasing Japanese investment in Bangladesh, expanding bilateral trade and facilitating technology transfer, while former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso said Japanese companies were highly interested in investing in Bangladesh due to its favourable business environment.
A high-level delegation of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League (JB PFL), led by its president Taro Aso, paid a courtesy call on the Bangladesh prime minister in Tokyo at 3pm local time on Monday.
During the meeting, Aso highlighted the current state of Bangladesh-Japan relations, noting that a large proportion of Bangladesh’s population was young and that the country’s prevailing political stability had created an attractive environment for investment.
He said Japanese businesses were showing considerable interest in expanding their investments in Bangladesh amid the positive circumstances.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said his government had already taken various practical measures to ensure a business-friendly environment for foreign investors. Necessary legal reforms were also being introduced to support the initiative.
He briefed the delegation on government initiatives in several priority areas, including education and skills development.
The prime minister stressed the importance of signing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Bangladesh and Japan at the earliest possible time. He said the agreement would create greater opportunities to increase Japanese investment, expand bilateral trade and facilitate the transfer of advanced technologies to Bangladesh.
He also sought Japan’s continued cooperation in implementing Bangladesh’s national development priorities and building a skilled workforce.
Tarique Rahman thanked Aso for his longstanding personal contributions to strengthening the friendly relations between the two countries.
Recalling his meeting with Aso during a visit to Japan in 2006, when he served as senior joint secretary general of the then BNP government, Tarique Rahman reflected on their earlier engagement. Aso, in turn, recalled his past meetings with former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia.
The Bangladesh prime minister noted that Aso had played a constructive role in developing bilateral relations while serving in various important positions in Japan, including prime minister, deputy prime minister and finance minister.
Both sides agreed to further strengthen political and economic ties and expand people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
The Bangladesh delegation included Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury; Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat; Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir; Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications, Information Technology, Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad; State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humayun Kabir; State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit; and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Foreign Employment in the Asia-Pacific region Dr Mohammad Shakirul Islam Khan.
Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, Research Officer Mohammad Abdus Sattar Patwari and other senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office were also present.
The Japanese delegation included former minister and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chairman Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tatsunori Ibayashi, and senior members of Japan’s National Diet.