BSS :
Bangladesh today signed ‘Exchange of Notes’ and ‘Loan Agreements’ with Japan for availing $2.665 billion (Japanese Yen 292.279 billion) financing for two development projects and one as budget support loan.
Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD) signed the ‘Exchange of Notes’ and the ‘Loan Agreements’ on behalf of the government of Bangladesh while ITO Naoki, The Ambassador of Japan in Bangladesh, signed the ‘Exchange of Notes’. Yuho Hayakawa, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office, Dhaka signed the ‘Loan Agreements’ on behalf of the government of Japan.
The signing ceremony was held at NEC-2 conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal was connected virtually while representatives of Finance Division, Power Division, Road Transport and Highways Division, CPGCBL, PGCB, RHD, DMTCL and other officials of government of Bangladesh, Embassy of Japan and JICA were present in the loan signing ceremony, said a Finance Division press release.
Speaking on the occasion, Kamal said Japan is Bangladesh’s most trusted bilateral friend. “Our Father of the Nation’s historic visit of Japan during 18-24 October in 1973 laid the foundation of Bangladesh-Japan relationship.
That was the beginning of the partnership which strengthened over the years,”
” We express our deep gratitude to the government of Japan for its’ involvement in a number of on-going iconic mega projects including Bangabandhu Road and Rail Bridge over river Jamuna, Metro Rail Networks at Dhaka city, HazratShahjalal International Airport 3rd Terminal, Matarbari Coal Fired Power Plant, Matarbari Sea Port etc,” he added.
The Finance Minister further said that at the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic last year, Bangladesh approached Japan for budget support and it received very quick positive response. He informed that the government of Japan provided first ever budget support loan assistance of $320 million to Bangladesh last year and in line with that $365 million under ‘COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan Phase-2 which was signed today.
“It is also a great pleasure for us that two loan agreements of $2.3 billion under 1st Phase of 42nd Yen Loan Package for 6th tranche Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Project and 2nd tranche of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (MRT, Line 1) were signed today,” Kamal added.
