Japan reaffirms support to interim govt and reform initiatives

Japan reaffirms support to interim govt and reform initiatives

Japan today affirmed its support to the interim government and its reform initiatives, and assured extending continued cooperation for socio-economic development of Bangladesh. The assurance was made during the 6th round of Bangladesh-Japan Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Tokyo, said a statement received here today from Bangladesh embassy in Japan. Bangladesh foreign ministrys Secretary (East) Ambassador Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam and Japans Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Akahori Takeshi led their respective side. Both sides reviewed the progress made since the 5th round of Consultations held in June 2024 in Dhaka and outlined future area of cooperation, the statement said. The meeting also worked out the programmes of the upcoming visit of Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunuss to Japan later this month. The statement said, Japan responded positively to Bangladeshs request for continued Duty-Free and Quota-Free (DFQF) access for its products to Japan market following the countrys graduation from LDC. Japan also expressed willingness to facilitate greater market access for Bangladeshi goods, including fruits and vegetables, it said. Under the Bay of Bengal Initiatives (Big-B), the Japanese side said that Japan would engage with Bangladesh more robustly for ensuring the high-quality infrastructure development projects. Tokyo would also encourage Japanese manufacturing plants and production houses to extend their production and industrial value chain to Bangladesh. Under the new plan for Free and Open Indo Pacific and Big-B initiatives, Japan wants to see the sustainable development of the region, Japanese officials said. Bangladesh also sought Japans support for more ODA concessional loan, extension of loan repayment period and for budgetary support. The meeting touched upon political, economic and sectoral cooperation issues along with trade and investment, people-to-people connectivity and cultural exchanges, forcibly displaced Rohingya nationals of Myanmar, security cooperation, and regional and global issues, the statement said. Both sides also discussed on human resource cooperation, joint crediting mechanism in energy transition, climate change, disaster and earthquake management and cooperation in Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) and solar power plants along with mechanization of agriculture and modernization of shipyards. Both parties agreed to deepen political trust, prioritize development strategies and fully realize strategic partnership. Appreciating Bangladeshs role in giving shelter to the Rohingyas, the Japanese side said that Japan would continue their efforts for the early repatriation of the Rohingyas to their motherland in Myanmar and would continue its humanitarian assistance for the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals. The both sides also discussed key regional and global development issues and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation on various multilateral issues of mutual interests. The Foreign Office Consultations ended with a vision to fully use and integrate the resources, strategic locations and competencies to ensure development of the peoples of the both countries.