UNB, Dhaka :
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Thursday said investment issues, including Japanese assistance in ensuring energy security and infrastructure development, will dominate the Bangladesh-Japan summit meeting to be held here on Saturday.
“We’re giving highest importance to (Japanese) investment issues,” he told a press conference at the Foreign Ministry outlining six major features of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Dhaka visit.
Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and senior officials of the Foreign Ministry were present.
The Foreign Minister said the visit will play a very significant role in continuing Japanese assistance towards Bangladesh’s socioeconomic development. “This visit can be considered as a milestone in terms of two countries relations.”
Abe along with his over 150 entourage members is scheduled to arrive here on Saturday noon on a two-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The summit meeting between the two Prime Ministers will be held on the day Abe arrives.
This visit is taking place after 14 years since then Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori of Japan visited Bangladesh in 2000.
Mahmood Ali said the Japanese side will renew its commitment to provide assistance for the big projects in Bangladesh apart from
reviewing the progress over the joint statement signed by both sides during the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s recent Japan visit.
“We hope, Japanese investors, with this visit, will get encouraged to invest in Bangladesh,” he said adding a 50-member high-level business delegation will accompany the Japanese Prime Minister.
The Foreign Minister said establishment of an exclusive economic zone for Japanese investors would also come up for discussion during Abe’s visit.
He hoped that Japanese investors will feel encouraged to invest in energy, electricity generation, infrastructure development, IT, textiles, readymade garment, pharmaceuticals, automobiles and other prospective areas.
“We’ll also seek Japanese support for boosting Bangladesh’s export,” said the Foreign Minister.
Responding to a question, the Foreign Minister said Abe’s wife who is also coming to Dhaka, will have separate programmes but did not want to elaborate.
During the visit, Japanese Prime Minister will meet President M Abdul Hamid and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushon Ershad. However, there is no schedule for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Besides, the Japanese Prime Minister will address the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Forum jointly organised by Bangladesh Board of Investment (BoI), Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), and Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) to promote trade between Bangladesh and Japan and attract Japanese investment to Bangladesh.
This is the return visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in quick succession of Prime Minister’s official visit to Japan in May 2014.
Hasina visited Japan from May 25-28 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Japan. During the visit, Shinzo Abe had a summit meeting with Prime Minister Hasina on May 26, when Japan pledged to provide US$ 6 billion, equivalent to 600 billion yen, to Bangladesh for the next five years.
The Japanese Prime Minister is scheduled to leave Dhaka for Sri Lanka on September 7.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Thursday said investment issues, including Japanese assistance in ensuring energy security and infrastructure development, will dominate the Bangladesh-Japan summit meeting to be held here on Saturday.
“We’re giving highest importance to (Japanese) investment issues,” he told a press conference at the Foreign Ministry outlining six major features of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Dhaka visit.
Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and senior officials of the Foreign Ministry were present.
The Foreign Minister said the visit will play a very significant role in continuing Japanese assistance towards Bangladesh’s socioeconomic development. “This visit can be considered as a milestone in terms of two countries relations.”
Abe along with his over 150 entourage members is scheduled to arrive here on Saturday noon on a two-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The summit meeting between the two Prime Ministers will be held on the day Abe arrives.
This visit is taking place after 14 years since then Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori of Japan visited Bangladesh in 2000.
Mahmood Ali said the Japanese side will renew its commitment to provide assistance for the big projects in Bangladesh apart from
reviewing the progress over the joint statement signed by both sides during the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s recent Japan visit.
“We hope, Japanese investors, with this visit, will get encouraged to invest in Bangladesh,” he said adding a 50-member high-level business delegation will accompany the Japanese Prime Minister.
The Foreign Minister said establishment of an exclusive economic zone for Japanese investors would also come up for discussion during Abe’s visit.
He hoped that Japanese investors will feel encouraged to invest in energy, electricity generation, infrastructure development, IT, textiles, readymade garment, pharmaceuticals, automobiles and other prospective areas.
“We’ll also seek Japanese support for boosting Bangladesh’s export,” said the Foreign Minister.
Responding to a question, the Foreign Minister said Abe’s wife who is also coming to Dhaka, will have separate programmes but did not want to elaborate.
During the visit, Japanese Prime Minister will meet President M Abdul Hamid and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushon Ershad. However, there is no schedule for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Besides, the Japanese Prime Minister will address the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Forum jointly organised by Bangladesh Board of Investment (BoI), Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), and Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) to promote trade between Bangladesh and Japan and attract Japanese investment to Bangladesh.
This is the return visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in quick succession of Prime Minister’s official visit to Japan in May 2014.
Hasina visited Japan from May 25-28 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Japan. During the visit, Shinzo Abe had a summit meeting with Prime Minister Hasina on May 26, when Japan pledged to provide US$ 6 billion, equivalent to 600 billion yen, to Bangladesh for the next five years.
The Japanese Prime Minister is scheduled to leave Dhaka for Sri Lanka on September 7.
