Tokyo with Dhaka in its development
Abe tells Hasina
UNB
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday assured his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina of continuing his countys support to materialise her Vision 2021 for elevating Bangladesh to a middle-income country by 2021, reports UNB from Tokyo. Abe came up with the assurance during a bilateral meeting with Sheikh Hasina at Associa Hotel in Nagoya. PMs Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad, Economic Relations Division (ERD) Senior Secretary Mohammad Mejbahuddin, PMs Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque briefed reporters after the meeting. At the very outset of the meeting, the Foreign Secretary said, the Japanese Prime Minister highly appreciated Sheikh Hasinas role in the G7 outreach meeting and her interventions there. Your interventions and contributions helped the G7 leaders to lead the discussion which ultimately helped us in our key components of the outcome elements, Abe said. Terming the meeting successful and beyond expectations, Shahidul Haque said Hasina proposed Japan to formulate an arrangement for Trade creating investment with buy back arrangement.
Shinzo Abe directed JICA to explore the proposal, he said.
Putting forward a proposal to invest in exclusive economic zones, Hasina requested Japan to help Bangladesh in the SME sector, energy efficiency, nano technology and skill development. The Foreign Secretary also said the Japanese Prime Minister instantly asked the GBIC and JICA to explore possibility of giving assistance in nano technology.
He said both the leaders agreed on working together in UN reform and other global issues in the coming days like the previous times.
Shahidul mentioned that the Japanese Prime Minister informed his Bangladesh counterpart from July 1 the diplomatic passport holders will not need to take visa for traveling in Japan. Theyll get on arrival visa.
He also said Bangladesh starts negotiation for the same kind of treatment for official passport holders and businessmen.
In another programme, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her high hope that the overall excellent cooperative ties between Bangladesh and Japan will deepen further in the future.
The overall cooperative ties between Bangladesh and Japan will get stronger in the coming days, she said while inaugurating the newly built chancery complex of Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo, Japan.
Referring to her bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinjo Abe in Nagoya today, Sheikh Hasina said her Japanese counterpart assured her that Japan would remain beside Bangladesh for its overall development.
She said Bangladesh put forward some development proposals during the meeting with Abe.
Secretary general of Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League Ichiro Tasukada, MP and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Seiji Kihara also spoke during the programme, while Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Rabab Fatima delivered the welcome address.
Sheikh Hasina recalled Japans contributions to the War of Liberation in 1971, particularly the raising of fund, by Japanese children saving their tiffin money to support Bangladesh at that time.
After the independence, she said Japan came up with all sorts of support to rebuild the war-ravaged country. The Japanese government and the people of the country extended their supporting hand to us, she said.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh has always got cooperation from Japan in its all development activities. Japan has immense contributions towards constructing Hotel Sonargaon, Jamuna Bridge, Rupsha Bridge and Padma Bridge, she mentioned.
Hasina said Japan is constructing the coal-based power plant at Matarbari in Moheshkhali of Coxs Bazar district while it is also providing help for metro-rail project and other infrastructural development of Bangladesh.
I see the beautiful property here representing the state of our vibrant and growing relations with Japan. I hope our ties with Japan will grow stronger and deeper in the years to come, Mentioning that Japan is one of the closest friendly countries and the largest development partners of Bangladesh, she said, Were indeed very proud to have our own address at the heart of historic city of Tokyo. She said to pay gratitude to the Japanese nation Bangabandhu visited Japan in 1973.
The Prime Minister said she would be returning from a very fruitful visit to Ise-Shima as she regard her participation in the Ise-Shima Summit as a recognition of the G7 and the global community of the responsible role and important contribution that her country is making in the field of development, womens empowerment, and to regional and global peace and security issues. I truly appreciated the opportunity to share our development experience, especially on poverty eradication, health, education and womens empowerment and I believe that all of us carry back important reflections and ideas, and commitments. I would like to thank again Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for inviting me, she said. PMs younger sister Sheikh Rehana and Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali were present. The 714-square meter chancery building was constructed at a cost of Tk 100 crore. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the building on November 28, 2010 during her visit in Japan.
