Staff Correspondent, Dhaka
President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Wednesday urged Japan to enhance its investment in Bangladesh, particularly in emerging sectors such as automobiles, ICT, medical equipment, light engineering, consumer electronics and tourism.
The president made the request during a meeting with newly appointed Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Shinichi SAIDA at Bangabhaban.
Ambassador SAIDA presented his credentials to the president at Bangabhaban, where a smart contingent of the Presidential Guard Regiment accorded him a guard of honour.
After the meeting, president’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam briefed reporters, highlighting the key points of their discussion.
President Shahabuddin said that Japan is Bangladesh’s largest bilateral development partner, with the relationship between the two nations recently elevated to a strategic partnership.
He emphasised Japan’s commitment under the BIG-B Initiative (Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt), which has been pivotal for Bangladesh’s development. To date, the country has received over $23 billion in Japanese grants and loans.
The president expressed satisfaction with the growing volume of bilateral trade, currently standing at around $4 billion annually, and acknowledged Japan as one of Bangladesh’s top five export destinations.
He highlighted the presence of over 350 Japanese companies operating in Bangladesh and encouraged further investment in diverse sectors.
The president also urged the ambassador to consider increasing the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, particularly caregivers and nurses, while seeking Japanese support for technical and language skill development for prospective Bangladeshi employees.
Acknowledging Japan’s continued humanitarian assistance for the Rohingya population in Bangladesh, President Shahabuddin requested the Japanese government to persist in its efforts to ensure the safe, sustainable, and dignified repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
The president also extended an invitation to the emperor, empress, and members of the Japanese Imperial Family to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time.
In response, Ambassador SAIDA expressed Japan’s keen interest in diversifying its investments in Bangladesh and assured the president of his full cooperation in strengthening bilateral ties during his tenure.
