Bangladesh and Japan signed six bilateral cooperation documents during Prime Minister Tareque Rahman’s ongoing visit to Japan. Japan also pledged loans of about $295.5 million for two projects.
The documents cover cooperation in maritime security, economic relations, agriculture, employment, fisheries and livestock, and climate change.
Deputy press secretary Shahadat Swadhin gave the details in describing the results of Prime Minister Tareque Rahman’s visit to Japan from 26 to 29 October at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The documents include a grant agreement of up to 2.12 billion yen ($13.44 million) to supply a patrol vessel to strengthen Bangladesh’s coastal security capacity.
A memorandum of cooperation (MoC) on strengthening economic relations and improving the business environment was signed between Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Economic Relations Division of Bangladesh’s finance ministry.
Two separate MoCs were signed between Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Bangladesh’s agriculture ministry and fisheries and livestock ministry.
An MoC was also signed on the Employment for Skill Development Programme (ESDP), which aims to create jobs through skills training.
A letter of intent (LoI) on stronger cooperation on climate change was signed between Japan’s environment ministry and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Japan also pledged a loan of 15.88 billion yen ($100.8 million) for a project to improve the investment climate.
It pledged a further 30.68 billion yen ($194.7 million) for the second phase of the Upazila Governance and Development Project.
The two loans total 46.56 billion yen, or about $295.5 million.
The documents, memorandums and loan pledges are seen as among the most important results of the prime minister’s four-day official visit from 26 to 29 October at the invitation of Prime Minister Takaichi.
During the visit the two countries took steps to strengthen bilateral relations further and widen cooperation in economic development and other areas of mutual interest.
Prime Minister Tareque Rahman also met Japanese political leaders, business representatives and development partners during the visit.
The meetings discussed investment, technology transfer, skills development and expanding economic cooperation.
The prime minister arrived in Japan on Monday, 26 October, for the four-day visit at Prime Minister Takaichi’s invitation.
He was accompanied by a high-level delegation including Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir and the chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report