Chattogram continues to attract Japanese FDI: Ito Naoki
Japan has been by Bangladesh’s side for the past 50 years, still is, and will continue to be a development partner in the future, the Japanese envoy said
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki said Chattogram will become an industrial hub after the completion of various ongoing projects including Matarbari Port, Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Highway, and Dhaka-Chattogram Main Power Grid Strengthening.
"Chattogram is a city that continues to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) from Japan. It will play an important role in the further growth of the economy of Bangladesh," he said while addressing an event as chief guest at Radisson Blu Chattogram Bay View on Saturday afternoon.
Chattogram AOTS Alumni Society (Caas) Bangladesh organized the event on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh.
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The Japanese ambassador said, "A total of 10 companies with Japanese investment are doing business in Chittagong Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and Karnaphuli EPZ. Bangabandhu Industrial City is getting ready. I am sure that Chittagong will continue to attract Japanese FDIs."
"Japan has been by Bangladesh's side for the past 50 years, still is, and will continue to be Bangladesh's development partner in the future," he added.
Naoki expressed hope that the relationship between the two countries will reach a new height during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Japan in November this year.
Caas President Engineer AUM Zubair presided over the programme while Chairman of BSRM Alihussain Akberali, Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) Country Representative Yuji Ando, Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Country Representative Ichiguchi Tomohide, and the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) Advisor Dr AKM Moazzem Hussain were present as special guests.
Besides, AOTS President Shinya Kuwayama participated in the programme through video conference.
Caas President Engineer AUM Zubair said, "Japan is one of our major development partners. We have organised this event to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic friendship between the two countries. Economic development requires not only infrastructure but also human resource development. AOTS is working to develop skilled human resources."
As part of the programme, seminars were held jointly by CAAS and Nippon Academy, a Japanese language institute, on various aspects of higher education in Japan. Mohammad Nurul Islam, the former consul general of Japan in Chattogram, presented a speech on studying in Japan.
