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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman
More than four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed between Bangladesh and Japan during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's upcoming four-day official visit to Tokyo starting October 26. A joint statement charting the future strategic direction of bilateral ties will also be issued.
The proposed instruments encompass wide-ranging cooperation across agriculture, fisheries, human resource development, skill building, civil aviation, bilateral trade, environmental conservation, and local governance modernization. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is undertaking the trip at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Officials are currently finalizing eight draft instruments, with the final number of signings subject to the conclusion of bilateral negotiations.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam confirmed that authorities anticipate several of these MoUs will be signed during the high-level visit. The forthcoming joint statement will capture the outcomes of bilateral summit talks and delineate key priorities to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership.
Commending the strategic scope of the visit, former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Anwarullah Chowdhury noted that the proposed agreements could bridge Bangladesh's development goals with Japanese technological and industrial prowess. He emphasized aligning skill development initiatives with Japanese industry demands, coupling language instruction with technical training, and fostering joint ventures between Japanese mid-sized enterprises and Bangladeshi entrepreneurs.
According to the official itinerary, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will hold formal summit-level talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on October 27, followed by an official luncheon hosted in his honor. The Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Forum and hold roundtables with top Japanese business executives.
His diplomatic calendar also features meetings with the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League, the Chairman of the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation, the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the President of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and the Chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. Additionally, the delegation is slated to tour an LNG terminal and power station in Chiba, alongside a Toyota manufacturing facility in Nagoya.
Accompanied by his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman, cabinet ministers, advisers, and senior government officials, the Prime Minister will depart via a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.
Beyond the signing of fresh pacts, the bilateral deliberations will address operationalizing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed on February 6 this year. Financing terms and cost escalation concerning major Japanese-funded infrastructure projects will also feature in talks, notably the 83 percent budget increase in MRT Line-1 and the 113 percent rise in MRT Line-5. Both sides will further touch upon regional security, energy stability, and durable solutions to the Rohingya humanitarian crisis.
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/national/1f1cf67d-d001-6fb0-b4ee-09a43eb3df33