The Japanese government is considering a plan to further relaxing the conditions of rules of origin to facilitate boosting of Bangladesh knit apparel exports to their market.
The progress on the issue was made as a follow-up of the Japanese prime minister’s assurance during his visit to Dhaka in September last year.
Japan’s visiting Deputy Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama informed of the development at a Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) in Dhaka yesterday, also apprising the meeting that Japan already decided to provide funds for building five mega infrastructure development projects in Bangladesh.
It was the first FOC between the two countries in the Bangladesh capital, said a press release. Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque led Bangladesh side.
Bangladesh proposed to continue consultations on a regular basis and the Japanese side agreed with the proposal. The consultations are proposed to be held annually in the two countries’ capitals alternately.
During the meeting, the Japanese side said they have already made a preliminary decision to provide official development assistance (ODA) to the mega projects identified by the two prime ministers.
The projects are a separate rail bridge over the river Jamuna planned to be constructed parallel to the Bangabandhu Bridge, Ganges Barrage, multi-modal tunnel under the Jamuna, Dhaka Eastern Bypass, and ecological restoration of four rivers around Dhaka.
“Tokyo reaffirms its commitment to further strengthen its bilateral relationship with Bangladesh based on the Comprehensive Partnership agreed upon between the two prime ministers last year,” said Shinsuke.
Bangladesh appreciated Japan’s multi-year ODA commitment of $6 billion in the next four to five years under the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B) initiative to help Bangladesh achieve robust economic progress.
In response, the Japanese side stated that the coal-fired power plant at Matarbari, to be built under Japanese assistance, is technologically advanced.
Bangladesh also proposed that a joint working group might be formed to further enhance agricultural cooperation between the two countries. The Japanese side agreed to look into it and requested for a concept paper.
Bangladesh also expressed interest to have close cooperation with Japan in disaster management and sought Japan’s technical and financial support to establish a National Disaster Management Training Centre.
The Japanese side thanked the Bangladesh government for withdrawing its candidature for the non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council in favour of Japan demonstrating the high importance Bangladesh attaches to its relations with Japan.
The two sides also discussed the regional, international and multilateral issues including counter-terrorism cooperation, climate change, disaster risk reduction and UN peacekeeping and peace building operations.
Concerning terrorism, the two sides agreed that the terrorists have no religion, and agreed to fight this menace, both nationally and internationally.
During the visit, Deputy Foreign Minister Sugiyama also called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, and PM’s Adviser on International Affairs Dr Gowher Rizvi.
