Desk Report:
A high-level delegation from the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League (JBPFL) paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tareque Rahman. Led by former Japanese Prime Minister and JBPFL President Taro Aso, the delegation met with the Prime Minister on Monday (October 26) at 3:00 PM (Japan Standard Time).
During the meeting, discussions focused on further strengthening the long-standing friendly relations between Bangladesh and Japan, as well as expanding cooperation in political, economic, and people-to-people spheres.
Prime Minister Tareque Rahman thanked Taro Aso for his sustained contributions—through his leadership of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League—toward strengthening the friendly ties between the two nations. He recalled his previous meeting with Taro Aso in 2006, which took place during his visit to Japan in his capacity as the then-Senior Joint Secretary General of the BNP. For his part, Taro Aso recalled his own meetings with the late former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia.
The Prime Minister noted that throughout his tenure in various high-level positions—including as Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Finance Minister of Japan—Taro Aso has consistently played a positive and constructive role in advancing bilateral relations with Bangladesh. His long-standing personal engagement with Bangladesh has been instrumental in further solidifying the friendly bond between the two countries.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s investment potential, Taro Aso pointed out that a large segment of the country’s population is young. He noted that the current political stability in Bangladesh has fostered a favorable environment for investment, and as a result, Japanese companies are showing a keen interest in investing in the country.
In response, Prime Minister Tareque Rahman stated that his government has undertaken various initiatives to ensure a business-friendly environment for foreign investors. He mentioned that specific legal reforms are being implemented to further facilitate the expansion of business and investment. The Prime Minister also highlighted several government initiatives across various sectors, including education and skills development. In the context of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Bangladesh and Japan, the Prime Minister sought the cooperation of Taro Aso to increase Japanese investment in Bangladesh, expand bilateral trade, and strengthen technology transfer. Furthermore, the Prime Minister expressed the hope for Japan’s continued support in implementing Bangladesh’s development priorities and fostering the growth of a skilled workforce.
This meeting is considered significant, as it serves to deepen the existing friendly relations between the two nations while creating new opportunities for cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, technology, and human resource development.
Present on the Bangladeshi side during the meeting were Minister of Finance and Planning Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury; Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat; the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir; State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir; State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit; the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Posts, Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad; the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant (for Overseas Employment in the Asia-Pacific region) Dr. Md. Shakirul Islam Khan; Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atiqur Rahman Ruman; Research Officer to the Prime Minister Md. Abdus Sattar Patwary; and other senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Accompanying Taro Aso on the Japanese side were Yasutoshi Nishimura—a former minister and a prominent figure within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)—Tatsunori Ibayashi, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and several senior members of the Japanese Diet (parliament).
