Dhaka eyes $500m budgetary support, $250m for railways from Tokyo: Shafiqul Alam

Bangladesh is expecting to get $500 million budgetary support from Japan in addition to $250 million for the country's railway sector with likely support in other areas as the two countries eye to further strengthen the relations between the two countries, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said today (27 May).

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to leave Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Tokyo in the early hours of tomorrow on a four-day official visit to participate in the 30th Nikkei Forum Future of Asia and hold bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

"It's a very important visit," Press Secretary Alam told a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy.

Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Ahammad Foyez were also present.

Bangladesh has sought $1 billion from Japan in the form of 'soft loan' and the announcement will come formally after the bilateral talks between the two leaders and an exchange of notes will be signed.

the press secretary said the chief adviser is giving much emphasis on sending skilled manpower to Japan.

"We have a target to send 1,00,000 skilled manpower," he said, adding that the government is working to send them very quickly with adequate training, especially language skills.

The Press Secretary said it is a priority area for the chief adviser and Bangladesh is exploring the area.

On the business side, he said two seminars will be held - one on investment by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), where hundreds of businessmen of both countries will discuss the economic future.

The other seminar will be on skilled labourers or workers hosted by the Bangladesh side with Japanese public private engagement, the envoy said, adding that on both occasions, some MoUs are to be signed.

The Chief Adviser has already called for the expedited development of key infrastructure in the Matarbari region, aiming to transform the coastal area into Bangladesh's premier manufacturing and export-orientated free trade zone.

During a high-level meeting on Monday at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka, Professor Yunus reviewed the progress of the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative (MIDI).

He announced that the development of the MIDI region would be a focal point during his upcoming two and a half days of official visit to Japan.

He is scheduled to attend the 30th Nikkei Future of Asia conference in Tokyo and hold bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on 30 May, aiming to secure funding for key projects.

Emphasising the strategic importance of the region, Professor Yunus said, "We envision Matarbari as the nation's largest hub for ports, logistics, manufacturing and energy. To realise this vision, we must attract substantial foreign investment."

He highlighted the interest of international investors in these sectors and underscored the necessity of a master plan to facilitate such investments.

This will be Yunus' first visit to Japan as the chief adviser, said the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Yunus visited Japan multiple times, including the visit to attend the 2004 Nikkei Asia Prize award ceremony and the participation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Opinion Leader Invitation Program in 2007.

He is scheduled to arrive at Narita International Airport at 2:30pm (Tokyo time) tomorrow and is expected to return home on Saturday, wrapping up his tour.

Briefing the media on Monday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Acting Foreign Secretary Md Ruhul Alam Siddique said the Chief Adviser and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will hold bilateral talks in Tokyo on 30 May and discuss 'strategic bilateral' issues to strengthen relations on all fronts.

"The meeting will discuss various strategic bilateral issues between Bangladesh and Japan – trade and investment, cooperation in the areas of agriculture, infrastructure, and human resource development," he said.

Siddique noted that the Rohingya issue will also be discussed during the meeting.

The Chief Adviser will be accorded a red carpet reception and a guard of honour before the meeting, said the Acting Foreign Secretary.

"The main focus of this visit is budgetary support," Siddique said in response to a question, adding that all 'strategic bilateral' issues will be discussed.

He said a total of seven MoUs are likely to be signed during the official visit of the chief adviser.

Taro Aso, president of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League, will pay a courtesy call on the chief adviser on 28 May.

He will attend a dinner to be hosted in his honour by the President of the Nippon Foundation, Yohei Sasakawa, where Japanese political and business leaders will be present.

Following the dinner, the chief adviser will hold an interactive meeting with Japanese dignitaries.

On 29 May, Yunus will be called on by high-ranking officials of Nikkei before the opening of the 30th Nikkei Forum Future of Asia.

In the inaugural plenary session, the chief adviser will deliver a keynote speech, calling on Asia and the wider world to work together and build a better future on the theme 'Asia's Challenge in a Turbulent World'.

Dr Tanaka Akihiko, president of JICA, will also make a courtesy call to the chief adviser.

During the meeting, JICA's future cooperation with Bangladesh and the progress of various ongoing projects funded by JICA will be discussed.

In February this year, Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ikuina Akiko invited Chief Adviser Yunus to visit Japan for the Nikkei 30th Future of Asia event to be held on 29-30 May in Tokyo. Yunus is also a recipient of the Nikkei Asia Prize in 2004.

Political, economic and sectoral cooperation issues, along with trade and investment, people-to-people connectivity, cultural exchanges, the situation of Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (Rohingyas), security cooperation and regional and global matters are likely to be discussed during the visit.

The two countries are expected to further strengthen their bilateral relationship across a wide range of areas, including security, the economy, economic cooperation, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, under the 'Japan-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership'.