The newly appointed Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh IWAMA Kiminori met with the board of directors of The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the World Trade Center on Tuesday morning.
Chamber President MahbubulAlam presided over Senior Vice President Tarafdar Md Ruhul Amin, Vice President Syed Mohammad Tanveer, Directors AKM Akter Hossain, Md AhidSiraj Chowdhury (Swapan), Zahirul Islam Chowdhury (Alamgir), AnjanShekhar Das, Md Rakibur Rahman (Tutul). ), Nazmul Karim Chowdhury Sharun, Shahzada Md FauzulAlef Khan, Md Iftekhar Faisal, SM TahsinJonaid and Tanveer Mostafa Chowdhury, officials of the embassy were present.
Ambassador Iwama Kiminori said Matarbari is a deep sea port with the aim of increasing connectivity. Japan is working on the expansion of Cox's Bazar-Chittagong road. Besides, Japan as a strategic partner of Bangladesh is working on various development projects including the construction of Dhaka Metrorail, Dhaka Airport terminal.
In the 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Japan has worked as a development partner of Bangladesh and expressed his determination to work to increase trade and investment in Bangladesh by making the environment for trade and investment easier on the basis of partnership in the future.
Chamber president Mahbubul Alam said that if the ongoing Matarbari deep sea port is built in Bangladesh under Japan's Bay of Bengal Growth Belt Initiative, it will become a game changer for the country's economy.
He informed the new envoy that JETRO and Chittagong Chamber have signed an agreement in 2020 to further promote Japan-Bangladesh business relations, formed a joint working group, and launched the CCCI Japan Desk to exchange information related to the investment of businessmen of both countries in the World Trade Center
Besides, preparations are being made to organize the Bay of Bengal Growth Summit in Chittagong along with JETRO and Japan-Bangladesh Chamber and requested the ambassador's personal initiative and cooperation regarding the participation of Japanese investors-businessmen in it. Besides, during the possible visit of JETRO's business representative to Bangladesh in March, he expressed the hope of organizing an exchange meeting with businessmen in Chittagong.
Chamber Senior Vice President Tarafdar Md. Ruhul Amin said that the capacity of Chittagong port is increasing day by day. Besides, efficient logistics sector of private sector is being developed here.
Therefore, he proposed to create a logistics hub on the basis of partnership in Japan's Special Economic Zone in Narayanganj through which the Japanese companies located there can easily transport goods from the port.