Japanese envoy calls for 'new kind of partnership' with BD

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito has stressed the need for forming a new kind of economic partnership between Bangladesh and Japan amid the changed global scenario due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Ukraine war.
He called for focusing efforts on improving the business environment for the Japanese companies here.
Though some improvements have been made, more needed to be resolved with more focus and a coordinated new approach, he told the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Japan Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JBCCI) at a city hotel on Monday evening.
Mr Ito also informed the meeting that Japan is now open for tourists and Biman Bangladesh Airlines is likely to resume its flights to Narita Airport soon.
JBCCI President Asif A Chowdhury, Secretary General Tareq Rafi Bhuiyan and its executive members were present at the AGM.
The ambassador said the economic and business partnership between the two countries has been steady during the last 10 years, doubling the Japanese investment and threefold the number of companies.
However, he said that as the new start of economic life is visible following the pandemic and Ukraine situation, the economic partnership needs to take further ahead with new relationships on every front.
He called upon the governments and associations concerned to work in this regard.
The Ambassador also referred to liberalisation of the trade regime in line with Bangladesh's graduation from the LDC status and said that the issues like FTA, trading partners and reform in the tax collection system must come under discussion.
He, however, termed all these difficult and challenging issues to deal with by the government for ensuring sustainable growth of Bangladesh.

smunima@yahoo.com