Tokyo reassures PM Hasina of continued assistance

Japan on Monday reassured its continued assistance for Bangladesh’s development as Japanese ambassador in Dhaka Hiroyasu Izumi called on prime minister Sheikh Hasina ahead of her planned Japan visit next week.

“Japan will continue its cooperation to Bangladesh’s economic development,” premier’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim told a media briefing quoting the envoy as saying during the call on at PM’s official Ganabhaban residence.

The envoy told the premier that Tokyo’s financial assistance was expected to increase as the two countries were set to ink the 41th Official Development Assistance (ODA) agreement coinciding with her visit.

According to the press secretary, Izumi said the sum of assistance was likely to be US$ 2.5 billion under the proposed agreement, an amount which would be 35 per cent higher from that of the last year.

The envoy, he said, congratulated the premier for her re-election in the last parliamentary election expecting her new tenure to be crucial for Bangladesh economy’s take off stage.

The envoy told the premier that her Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe was eagerly waiting to receive her in Japan.

According to the press secretary, the envoy particularly referred to his country’s interest for the development of Matarbari Power Plant Project in Maheshkhali Upazila of Cox’s Bazar as the coal-fired 1200 MW plant was being developed with Japanese assistance.

Sheikh Hasina described Japan to be a great friend of Bangladesh as she reviewed Tokyo’s contribution to the economic development of her country.

She particularly recalled the Japan’s assistance in constructing Rupsha Bridge.

Premier’s principal secretary M Nojibur Rahman, principal coordinator on SDG affairs Abul Kalam Azad and PMO secretary Sajjadul Hassan were present during the call on.