Hasina seeks more Japanese investment

TOKYO, May 26 (Agencies):  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, now in Japan on a four-day official visit, on Monday sought more Japanese investment in her country's various sectors.
She invited the members of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League to visit Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister said this when a nine-member delegation of Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League, led by Takeo Kawamura, met her at the Akasaka Palace in the morning. Kawamura is a member of the House of Representatives of Japan.
PM's special assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil briefed reporters after the meeting.
Addressing the meeting with the Parliamentary League members, Sheikh Hasina said the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary League has an important role to play in realising a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement between Japan and Bangladesh at the earliest in our common quest to enhance our bilateral relations.
Sheikh Hasina said that Japan's assistance has through the years remained constant in all spheres of Bangladesh, especially in the last five years when the world was under economic recession.
"Japan's support, particularly in the development of our infrastructure and human resources has been crucial to our progress forward in nation building.
Thus, in the last five years, despite the global economic recession, natural disasters, and the adverse impacts of climate changes, Bangladesh had been able to sustain the GDP growth rate of over 6 per cent," she added.
Hasina said the aim of her government is to increase the GDP growth rate to 8 per cent by 2015, to 10 per cent by 2017 and to sustain it to become a middle-income country by 2021.
In 2012-2013, she mentioned, Bangladesh posted a GDP of over US $ 133 billion and accumulated a foreign currency reserve of US $ 20 billion. "Our macroeconomic stability has been sound and all economic indicators are showing positive progress. According to Goldman Sachs, Bangladesh has been included in their list of 'Next Eleven', and JP Morgan in their 'Frontier Five'," she added.
 "Our aim is to boost our economic development and the social welfare of our people along with strengthening of the democratic institutions, the rule of law, good governance and empowerment of the people," she said.
Hasina wished Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary League all success and thanked all the good friends of Bangladesh in Japan for being with Bangladesh in its journey to development and progress.
The members of Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League stressed that a relationship of mutual friendship is existing on Bangladesh-Japan relationship since the country's independence in 1971.
They said Japan-Bangladesh Friendship League was established after 10 years of the independence of Bangladesh which has now about 66 members.
They also informed the Prime Minister that the Japanese companies are inclined to invest more in Bangladesh in various sectors.
The head of the delegation Takeo Kawamura said Sheikh Hasina's  visit would further strengthen the friendly Japan-Bangladesh relationship as well as give this trusted relationship into a new dimension.
Lauding the recent developments in the Bangladesh's socioeconomic and infrastructural sectors, Kawamura said in recent times there have been a significant progress in Bangladesh's socioeconomic and infrastructural sectors which has drawn attention of the world, including Japan.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Abdul Latif, MP, ERD Secretary Md Mejbahuddin, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque, Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Masud Bin Momen and PM's Deputy Press Secretary Bijan Lal Dev were present.