PM to discuss trade, investment with Japanese counterpart
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
FE Report
Economic cooperation, trade and investment are the major issues that will be discussed at the meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Japanese Premier Naoto Kan, said Japanese ambassador to Dhaka Tamotsu Shinotsuka Tuesday.
Hasina will pay an official working visit to Japan from November 28 to December 2 when she will have several meetings and attend a business seminar, he said at a meet the press programme, organised by the Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
Mr Shinotsuka, however, declined to make any comment on agreements that might be finalised during Hasina's trip to Japan.
"After the visit we will disclose the outcome of the meeting, but now it is not possible to say anything about the upcoming negotiations," he said.
"Japan is the highest bilateral donor of Bangladesh, but the country ranked sixth with $1.2 billion in terms of investment and it is not satisfactory," the envoy said.
Many Japanese companies want to relocate their industries and Bangladesh is an attractive destination due to cheap labour, he said adding, "Dhaka should remove all obstacles for creating investment-friendly environment."
The envoy said his government will seriously consider duty-free and quota-free market access for Bangladesh products to Japan and it is expected that it will be discussed between the summit meeting of the countries.
Mr Shinotsuka said Bangladesh is located in the middle of India, China and ASEAN and it should fully utilise such location advantage.
He said cooperation with India and other neighbouring countries will be important for developing energy sector.
"Bangladesh can export hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan and it can also import power from India to meet the electricity demand," he said adding, "Regional cooperation is needed for economic development."
There is an ample scope for intra-trade in the SAARC region and Japan will continue to support SAARC initiatives, Mr Shinotsuka said.
Economic cooperation, trade and investment are the major issues that will be discussed at the meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Japanese Premier Naoto Kan, said Japanese ambassador to Dhaka Tamotsu Shinotsuka Tuesday.
Hasina will pay an official working visit to Japan from November 28 to December 2 when she will have several meetings and attend a business seminar, he said at a meet the press programme, organised by the Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
Mr Shinotsuka, however, declined to make any comment on agreements that might be finalised during Hasina's trip to Japan.
"After the visit we will disclose the outcome of the meeting, but now it is not possible to say anything about the upcoming negotiations," he said.
"Japan is the highest bilateral donor of Bangladesh, but the country ranked sixth with $1.2 billion in terms of investment and it is not satisfactory," the envoy said.
Many Japanese companies want to relocate their industries and Bangladesh is an attractive destination due to cheap labour, he said adding, "Dhaka should remove all obstacles for creating investment-friendly environment."
The envoy said his government will seriously consider duty-free and quota-free market access for Bangladesh products to Japan and it is expected that it will be discussed between the summit meeting of the countries.
Mr Shinotsuka said Bangladesh is located in the middle of India, China and ASEAN and it should fully utilise such location advantage.
He said cooperation with India and other neighbouring countries will be important for developing energy sector.
"Bangladesh can export hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan and it can also import power from India to meet the electricity demand," he said adding, "Regional cooperation is needed for economic development."
There is an ample scope for intra-trade in the SAARC region and Japan will continue to support SAARC initiatives, Mr Shinotsuka said.