Jica president reaffirms long-term development partnership
Tanaka Akihiko held a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, during which both sides reaffirmed the strength of bilateral relations and discussed ongoing and future areas of cooperation.
President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Tanaka Akihiko has concluded a five-day official visit to Bangladesh, reaffirming the enduring Japan-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership and Jica's continued commitment to the country's sustainable and inclusive development.
During the visit from 1 to 5 July, Tanaka attended the 10th memorial ceremony honouring the seven Japanese nationals who were killed in the Holey Artisan Bakery terrorist attack in July 2016, according to a Jica press release.
The ceremony served as a moment of reflection and reaffirmed the shared values of peace, resilience and cooperation between the people of Japan and Bangladesh.
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Tanaka also held a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, during which both sides reaffirmed the strength of bilateral relations and discussed ongoing and future areas of cooperation.
Their discussions focused on major Japanese-supported development initiatives, including the Dhaka Metro Rail, the expansion of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative (MIDI) and the Bangladesh Special Economic Zone (BSEZ).
The two sides also acknowledged the significance of the JPY 50 billion emergency support package under the POWERR Asia initiative aimed at strengthening regional energy security.
Throughout his visit, Tanaka met senior government leaders, including Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, and Roads, Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, who also oversees the Shipping and Railways ministries.
The meetings reaffirmed shared priorities in infrastructure, industrial development, regional connectivity and capacity building for sustainable and inclusive growth.
As part of his itinerary, Tanaka visited several flagship projects supported by Jica and the Government of Japan.
