BD-Japan FS-level meeting Feb 5

FE Report | Published: February 03, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

The first-ever foreign office consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and Japan will be held here on February 5 with an aim to cement diplomatic and economic relationship between the two friendly countries.
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama will lead their respective sides at the meeting.
Bangladesh and Japanese foreign offices will organise the FOC in line with a joint statement where the prime ministers of the two countries agreed on holding the meeting early this year.
Officials said a three-member delegation, led by Shinsuke Sugiyama, will arrive here on February 4 on a three-day visit to Bangladesh and attend the meeting the following day.
Sources said during the FOC, the two foreign secretaries will discuss issues in line with 'comprehensive partnership' launched between the two countries during the visit by the Bangladesh and Japanese prime ministers last year.
They said some new issues may also come up at the meeting for discussion on which the officials of the foreign ministry and the Japanese embassy are still working on. At the meeting, the Bangladesh side is expected to raise the issue of exporting Bangladesh's readymade garment to Japan.
"FOC is to institutionalise the foreign ministry level talks. And the first meeting will focus on elevating the comprehensive partnership," said an official.
A foreign ministry statement on Monday said the whole gamut of Bangladesh-Japan bilateral relations is likely to be discussed at the official meeting.
During his stay, Mr. Sugiyama is expected to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, Prime Minister's Adviser on International Affairs Dr. Gowher Rizvi and Senior Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office Md. Abul Kalam Azad.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Japan from May 25-28 in 2014 and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived here on September 6 on a two-day visit to Bangladesh.
The "comprehensive partnership" launched by the two countries has been based on the shared values of peace, democracy, human rights and rule of law.
smunima@yahoo.com