Dr Yuko Yasunaga, visiting head of UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) Tokyo, has expressed his confidence in the enormous growth of Bangladesh, offering Japan's support to policy formulation and improvement of the business environment to meet its challenges.
"Bangladesh has an enormous future and Japan and Bangladesh can work together," he said, while addressing a meeting with present and past board members of Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JBCCI) at a city hotel on Wednesday.
JBCCI President Asif A Chowdhury chaired the meeting where executive members including, Director and Head of Japan External Trade Organisation Yuji Ando, Secretary General Tareq Rafi Bhuiyan, Executive Director Mohammad Emran and JBCCI Advisor Dr Muhammad Abdul Mazid were present. Former JBCCI president Abdul Haque also attended it.
Dr Yuko arrived in the country on a four-day visit on Wednesday to explore the potential of investment opportunities in Bangladesh for Japanese companies. He is scheduled to meet different stakeholders including Bangladesh Investment Authority and Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority and visit some production facilities to know the factory environment in the country.
The UNIDO ITPO Tokyo head referred to his country's expertise in various sectors including enhancing competitiveness in export and SMEs and said Japan's SME sector has sustainable technology.
Those technologies can help Bangladesh solve some social challenges in sectors like energy, environment, agri business, public health and disaster management, he said, adding that UNIDO in collaboration with JICA and JETRO could support policy making and policy implementation in Bangladesh towards its enormous growth.
The JBCCI members highlighted the function and the role of JBCCI in promoting bilateral trade and investment between the two nations and hoped possible cooperation issues related to the promotion of Japanese investment in Bangladesh.
UNIDO Tokyo played a vital role in promoting Japanese investments in Bangladesh in different periods since its establishment in Japan in 1981. In late 1980's and early 1990's, many Japanese investments in Chittagong EPZ and Dhaka EPZ were materialised with the support of UNIDO Tokyo. Similarly many prominent Japanese investments happened after 2007 due to the support of UNIDO Tokyo.
Since 2018, UNIDO Tokyo has been working closely with the JBCCI in undertaking different investment promotion programmes like, business matchmaking, organising business missions to Japan, etc.
During the meeting, JBCCI directors exchanged views on further co-operation from UNIDO Tokyo for its future investment promotional activities.
smunima@yahoo.com