Bangladesh and Japan will sign their 40th Official Development Assistance (ODA) deal involving $2.5 billion, during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Japan from May 28-30, for implementing five projects.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen informed the media at a press briefing at his office on Sunday, about the prime minister's Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Finland visits, reports UNB.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Japan visit is expected to bolster ties between the two countries.
The five projects are: Matarbari Port Development Project (1), Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line 1), Foreign Direct Investment Promotion Project (II), Energy Efficiency and Conservation Promotion Financing Project (Phase 2), and Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Project (V).
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, and Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque were present, among others, at the press briefing.
The foreign minister said the ODA deal to be signed is 35% higher than what Bangladesh received last year.
He said the relationship between Bangladesh and Japan has upgraded to "Comprehensive Partnership,” as Japan remains one of the key sources of foreign investment in Bangladesh.
Momen said, Japan has gradually been expanding its cooperation with Bangladesh in its communication, power and energy, and industrialization sectors.
"The prime minister's visit will play a significant role in expanding bilateral relations between the two countries," he said.
He said the Rohingya issue, among others, will also be discussed in a broader scope during the visit.
The year 2022 will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Japan.
"The coming years will be very important for the two countries. We are working harder to enhance our bilateral relations even further," Japanese Ambassador to Dhaka, Hiroyasu Izumi said.
In celebration of this anniversary, the two countries are expecting more interaction, including cultural, and people-to-people exchanges in the years to come.
Several cooperation projects were launched through the successful mutual visits by the two prime ministers -- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe -- in 2014.
Bangladesh is now "focused" as a country of tremendous potential for development, and is attracting more foreign companies for investment, said an official.
Since the year 2008, the investment from Japan to Bangladesh has been expanding, and the trend is getting stronger, especially after 2011.
Japan itinerary
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will leave Bangladesh on Tuesday, by a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, at 8:55am.
She will reach Haneda International Airport, Tokyo at 18:30 (local time) where Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Toshiko Abe, will welcome her.
She will attend a community event at Hotel Okura on the same day.
On the morning of May 29, Sheikh Hasina will attend a breakfast roundtable meeting with Japanese Business leaders, and CEOs at Hotel New Otani.
After that, the Japanese survivors of the Holy Artisan incident will call on her.
In the afternoon, she will have a bilateral meeting with her Japanese counterpart, Shinizo Abe, at his office. After the bilateral talks, there will be a signing ceremony, and a joint press statement.
Later in the evening, she will attend the official dinner to be hosted by the Japanese prime minister at his residence.
On May 30, Sheikh Hasina will attend the Nikkei International Conference on "The Future of Asia" at Imperial Hotel, where Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Bin Mohammad, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will be the keynote speakers.
The theme of the conference is "In Search of the New Global Order Overcoming the Chaos."
She will then attend the 25th International Conference of Future Asia at the same venue, and deliver a speech.
Later, JICA president Shinichi Kitaoka will call on her at her place of residence.
In the evening, the Prime Minister will attend the Nikkei Conference Dinner, where the Japanese prime minister will be the keynote speaker.
OIC Islamic Summit
On May 31, the Prime Minister will depart from Haneda International Airport at 9:25am (local time) for Jeddah, to attend the 14th session of the OIC's Islamic Summit in Makkah.
She will arrive at King Abdulaziz International Airport at 1725 (local time). In the evening, she will attend the opening ceremony of the OIC summit.
The summit, titled "Makkah Summit: Together for the Future", aims to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world.
On June 1, she will attend the first working session, at 12:30am, and the second working session at 1:30am.
Sheikh Hasina will attend the closing session at 2:30am, and then join the Suhoor Banquet at Safa Palace.
In the evening, she will perform Umrah.
On the morning of June 2, the Prime Minister will leave Jeddah for Madina by air, and offer Fateha at the Rawza Mubarak (grave) of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). In the evening, she will depart Madinah for Jeddah by air.
Finland, and a stopover in Delhi
On the morning of June 3, she will depart Jeddah for Helsinki, Finland via Frankfurt. She will land in Helsinki at 1pm (local time).
On June 4, she will call on the President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, at his official residence.
On June 7, the Prime Minister will leave Helsinki at 6:35pm (local time) for Dhaka, by Finair.
On her way back home, Sheikh Hasina will make a stopover in New Delhi.
She will land at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport at 6:05am (local time). She will leave Delhi for Dhaka by a flight of Biman at 6:20pm, and reach home at 9:20pm.
Foreign Minister Dr Momen said, the Prime Minister will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr abroad as she will return home on June 8.