Diplomatic Desk:
On Wednesday (September 02, 2026) at 10 am, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh SAIDA Shinichi paid a courtesy call on Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, MP, at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
During the meeting, the Ambassador congratulated the Honorable Minister on assuming charge as a full-time minister. After that, a detailed discussion was held on the current government’s plans for the development of the country’s civil aviation and tourism sectors.
The Minister said that Japan is a trusted development partner of Bangladesh. The government wants Japan to support it in its progress in transforming Bangladesh into a regional aviation hub. The recently launched Dhaka-Narita direct flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines is a reflection of Bangladesh’s growing interest and strong commitment to expanding communication and cooperation between the two countries.
The Minister also said that the current government is determined to inaugurate the newly constructed Terminal-3 of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on time. Therefore, it is important to start the Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) program as soon as possible. The techno-financial evaluation of the proposal submitted by the Japanese Sub-working Group (SWG) has already been completed. Negotiations will begin next week.
Work is underway at the ministry level on the Letter of Assurance for the successful operation of the third terminal. Hopefully, we will be able to complete all the processes soon.
The minister said that there are more than five hundred heritage tourism spots in the country, for the development of which the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs are working jointly. Moreover, the government wants to work with Japan on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to develop Buddhist tourism.
The government is working to create a favorable environment for investment in the tourism sector in Bangladesh by attracting Japanese investors and taking necessary initiatives. At this time, the minister invited proposals from Japanese investors for the development of heritage tourism.
The Ambassador reiterated Japan’s strong commitment to work in close cooperation with the Bangladesh government to implement the current government’s election manifesto.
