Japan is our trusted friend: FM

Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni Sunday said Japan has been a trusted friend of Bangladesh since independence and it has also been a leading development partner, reports UNB. She said this in a meeting as the chief guest orgnised by mobile phone operator Robi and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a city hotel to hand over a cheque worth Tk 10.22 million to Japanese Ambassador in Dhaka Tamotsu Shinotsuka. The aid amount was collected through a campaign to help the victims of the massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami which rocked the country earlier this year. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Maj Gen (retd) Zia Ahmed, Association of Mobile Telecom Operators in Bangladesh (AMTOB) Chairman and Chief Commercial Officer of CityCell David Lee, Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Sunil Kanti Bose, and Managing Director and CEO of Robi Axiata Ltd Micheal Kuehner also addressed the occasion. Foreign minister said, "The government along with the general people has tried best to extend humanitarian support to Japan after the earthquake and tsunami". Ambassador Shinotsuka expressed his sincere appreciation to the people of Bangladesh for their generous support and said the people of Japan deeply appreciate the support of the Bangladeshi people. Mobile phone operator Robi arranged the campaign in association with other operators and AMTOB.