Bangladesh wants development of “quality” infrastructure under the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (Big-B) Initiative of Japan.
State Minister for foreign affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Wednesday hoped that the Big-B would “accelerate cooperation for development of quality infrastructure and create more investment opportunities in Bangladesh”. These, he added, would strengthen regional connectivity.
The state minister made the comment when Japanese ambassador in Dhaka Ito Naoki called on him at his office. They discussed bilateral relations and issues of common interest “comprehensively”, the foreign ministry said.
They agreed to work together to tackle the challenges of the COVID pandemic. They also reviewed the progress of the Japanese funded major development projects. Recognising Bangladesh’s leadership role in the climate change discourse, the Ambassador expressed willingness of the Japanese investors in clean energy.
The BIG-B initiative is to accelerate industrial agglomeration along the Dhaka-Chattogram-Cox's Bazar belt area and beyond, encompassing developing economic infrastructure, improving investment environment and fostering connectivity.
This was declared in 2014 when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Dhaka. Both sides expected the initiative, with maximum use of Japan's advanced technologies and socioeconomic development experiences, to yield mutual benefits and prosperity to both countries.
According to Japan’s aid agency, JICA, BIG-B foresees Bangladesh transcending its national borders “to become a heart of the regional economy and providing a gateway for both South Asia and South-East Asia to step into a closer inter-regional relation, so that she may reshape herself as a sparkling trading nation deeply incorporated into inter-regional and global value chains.”
“BIG-B is not incompatible with other existing vital frameworks for regional cooperation. Rather, it aims to supplement and reinforce them for the maximization of the benefit for Bangladesh,” according to JICA.
During the Wednesday’s meeting, the state minister and the ambassador recalled Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s visit to Japan in 1973 which laid the “rock-solid” foundation of the bilateral relations, soon after Bangladesh’s birth in 1971.
The State Minister conveyed his deep appreciation for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s participation at the event celebrating Bangabandhu’s birth centenary and the golden jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh in March this year.
The two sides agreed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations in 2022 in a befitting manner including through exchange of high-level visits.
The state minister stated that COVID-19 pandemic posed an unprecedented challenging time for all and thanked the government of Japan for the COVID-19 related assistance.
He briefed the Japanese envoy on the initiatives taken by the government to combat the pandemic and sought support from Japan to continue its fight against COVID-19.
Japanese Ambassador highly appreciated the socio-economic progress of Bangladesh, even during the pandemic, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and assured of continued support to Bangladesh to deal with COVID-19 situation.
The state minister underscored that if 1.1 million Rohingyas were denied the opportunity to return to their ancestral homes in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, it could have ramifications for regional and international security and stability.
He also urged Japan to use her influence to persuade Myanmar and the international community to create a conducive environment within Myanmar for safe and dignified return of the Rohingyas.
The Ambassador reiterated Japan’s commitment of continued support for Rohingya repatriation.