Bangladesh Embassy in Japan launches portal to attract Japanese investment

The government has launched a virtual desk in the Bangladesh Embassy in Japan to connect investors and partners, explore business and help attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak inaugurated the virtual desk titled- "Bangladesh IT Connect Portal-Japan" which will play a role of a catalyst to bring business and investment from Japan by connecting IT companies of both the countries.

Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh ITO Naoki, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Japan Shahabuddin Ahmed, Senior Secretary of ICT Division NM Zeaul Alam, Managing Director of Startup Bangladesh Limited Sami Ahmed, Project Director of Enhancing Digital Government and Economy (EDGE) Dr Mohammed Mehedi Hassan, Country Representative of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Yuji Ando and President of BASIS Russell T Ahmed, COO of BJIT Limited and Joblab Company, Japan, among others, addressed the function. 

The program was moderated by Dr Ariful Haque, Minister (Commerce) of Bangladesh Embassy in Japan as well as the contact point of the virtual desk.

"The virtual desk-Bangladesh IT Connect Portal-Japan will act as a catalyst to enhance the bilateral trade relations in the BPO and technology sector," Palak said adding Japan is one of the largest development partners of Bangladesh and both the countries are in a collaborative relationship in the field of IT sector since many years.

"We believe that the portal will benefit both the Japan and Bangladesh by opening up the technology and investment partnership opportunities to each other," he said adding Bangladesh has been developing ICT infrastructure including 109 Hi-Tech Parks for the investors in its journey towards building digital economy and many local and foreign companies are running business in the already-built 26 Hi-Tech Parks and IT incubation centres.

The ICT state minister said Bangladesh has been maintaining an enduring friendship over the course of 51 years since the Liberation War of Bangladesh and the relationship will be strengthened further in the days to come.

The World Bank financed EDGE Project of Bangladesh Computer Council under ICT Division and Embassy of Bangladesh in Japan has jointly developed the "Bangladesh IT Connect Portal-Japan" to establish Business to Business (B2B) IT Connectivity Hub, which will play a role in bringing business connections of Japanese IT market with the country's IT companies, arranging appointment with the Embassy, bringing investment from Japanese market.

The necessary information in this regard can be found on the website www.jp.itconnect.gov.bd. 

More than 70 IT exporting companies along with 42 startups from Bangladesh already have profiles who are working in Japan and considering Japan as their potential market.