Bangladesh and Japan agreed to elevate the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries in the auspicious year of 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations, the foreign ministry said.
This was discussed when the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Honda Taro called on the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam at the State Guest House Padma on Sunday evening.
Alam recalled the historic visit of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Japan in October 1973, which laid the foundation of today’s exemplary bilateral relations between the two countries.
He also recalled the visit of the then Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe to Bangladesh in 2014, when the two countries elevated the bilateral relationship to ‘Comprehensive Partnership’ level.
The State Minister also recalled the successful visits of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Japan in 1997, 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2019 that have cemented deep-rooted friendly ties between the two countries.
The Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister expressed the intent of Japan to add new depth and contents to the existing partnership and expected an official visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Japan later this year to elevate the ‘Comprehensive Partnership’ to a new height.
Highly praising Bangladesh’s spectacular socio-economic development under the dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister, particularly Bangladesh’s graduation to a developing country, the Vice-Minister assured Japan’s continued support to the rapid socio-economic development of Bangladesh even after the country’s formal graduation in 2026.
Both sides also discussed enhancing cooperation in various areas, including bilateral trade, Japanese FDI in Bangladesh, as well as people-to-people connectivity for mutual benefits. They also expressed the desire to enhance cooperation in international fora, including in the UN, particularly in the areas of SDGs, climate change, migration, UN reforms, etc. The Vice-Minister also commended Bangladesh’s leadership role in UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities.
The Japanese Vice-Minister highly appreciated Bangladesh’s role in maintaining regional stability by hosting the Rohingyas and assured to continue Japan’s support towards their safe, voluntary, and sustainable repatriation. The State Minister sought Japan’s active support for a durable political solution to the Rohingya crisis.
Before leaving Dhaka on Monday, he, along with JICA President Tanaka Akihiko, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
They also visited the JICA-funded Matarbari Power Plant project, Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps and attended a memorial ceremony in honour of the Holey Artisan victims involved in the MRT project.
The State Minister for Foreign Affairs also hosted a dinner in his honour.