Japan to continue to assist in BD's dev: Envoy

FE REPORT | Published: October 10, 2020 23:02:58

Japanese ambassador Ito Naoki has said Japan will continue to support Bangladesh's development as it directly leads to the overall stability of the Bay of Bengal and Indo-Pacific region.
In a message marking his one year as envoy in Dhaka, he said Japan pledged to give Bangladesh the COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Budget Support Loan for JPY 35 billion (approximately $330 million) in August.
The year 2020 was also remarkable in terms of official development assistance (ODA) from Japan to Bangladesh, added Mr Naoki.
The largest-ever annual ODA loan package of JPY 338 billion (approximately $3.2 billion) was signed in August, he cited.
The ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary said, "Since March this year, COVID-19 pandemic
has been affecting our interactions in various fields such as economic activities and cultural exchanges."
"However, even during this challenging time, Japan has been supporting Bangladesh in its fight against the pandemic," he said.
Japan provided medical equipment for healthcare sectors as well as emergency support through international organisations, Mr Naoki mentioned.
He said this year's loan package comprises assistance to projects, including Dhaka mass rapid transit, expansion of Hazrat Shahjalal international airport, Jamuna railway bridge construction and Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway improvement.
These large-scale projects, in addition to ongoing Matarbari deep-sea port construction, are essential for development of industries and will symbolise the future of Bangladesh once they are completed, he added.
Referring to high-level exchanges and dialogues in different areas in the past one year in the development of bilateral ties, Mr Noaki said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had a teleconference in August 2020.
"I am eager to work further on improving the business environment to make trade and investment between Japan and Bangladesh more robust," he said referring to improvement of business ties.
Over 300 Japanese firms are currently operating in Bangladesh which has tripled over the past 10 years, Mr Naoki said, adding that direct investment from Japan has also doubled in eight years.
He cited that 2020 marks the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and 2021 the 50th anniversary of the independence of Bangladesh.
Further ahead, the envoy said, 2022 is the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh.
Japan will continue to ensure safety and security of Japanese nationals visiting/living in Bangladesh and welcomed opinion and cooperation towards building stronger ties between the two nations.
smunima@yahoo.com