Bangladesh and Japan talks on 24 Feb
Bangladesh and Japan are in discussion on five projects worth US$ 8.38 billion under public-private partnership (PPP), reports UNB.
The projects are -- Construction of Multimodal Transport Hub (MmTH) at Kamlapur and airport railway stations; Construction of Outer Ring Road (southern part) of Dhaka City; Improvement of Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar Highway; and the Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-2.
Total investment needed for these projects is estimated to be $8.38 billion, which is about 30 per cent of the portfolio of Public Private Partnership Authority’s (PPPA) pipeline.
It is expected that the PPP projects with Japan through government to government (G2G) partnership modality will ease the massive financial investment of Bangladesh government.
Sultana Afroz, secretary and chief executive officer (CEO) of PPPA, and Ito Naoki, Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh, on Monday discussed about the upcoming fourth Bangladesh-Japan Joint PPP Platform meeting which will be held on 24 February through online platform.
The ambassador was accompanied by Takashi Shirai, second secretary of the Japanese embassy in Dhaka.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina in her first board of governors meeting of the PPP authority approved the “Policy for Implementing PPP Projects through Government-to-Government (G2G) Partnership” 2017 as chairperson.
The PPP Authority has been working closely with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) since then.
Sultana Afroz acknowledged the support of the Japanese people during the liberation war, especially the role of the late senator Hayakawa. She also recognised Japan as the largest bilateral development partner of Bangladesh.
The Ambassador also showed strong commitment of Japan in promoting and development of PPP projects in Bangladesh. He appreciated the team spirit at PPPA as they are all motivated to work for PPPA.
The Ambassador was also impressed with the inclusion of interns and consultants outside the regular system as well as maintaining near gender parity in the office, thereby making it the most promising organisation in the government structure in Bangladesh.
He expressed his interest for the Japanese embassy to work more closely with the PPP Authority. He mentioned that PPP has been high in his agenda.
Ambassador Naoki affirmed that Kajima Corporation is very enthusiastic about undertaking the Multimodal Transport Hub Project at Kamlapur and Mitsubishi Corporation is keen to invest in concession, operation and maintenance of the Airport terminals in Dhaka.
The Japanese ambassador appreciated the hospitality extended to him by the PPP Authority. He reiterated that he is here to strengthen the cooperation between PPPA and Japan.