Dhaka, Tokyo outline areas of cooperation ahead of CA’s Japan visit

Bangladesh and Japan on Thursday outlined new areas of future cooperation, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to elevating bilateral relations to a new level under the framework of the "Japan-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership".

The discussions took place during the sixth round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between the two countries, held in Tokyo, reports UNB.

The consultations focused on a wide range of issues, including political and economic collaboration, trade and investment, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, regional and global security, as well as cooperation in energy, climate change, disaster management, and agriculture.

The delegations were led by Md Nazrul Islam, secretary (East) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, and Akahori Takeshi, senior deputy minister for foreign affairs of Japan. Officials from both countries participated in the dialogue.

As part of the growing bilateral ties, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to visit Japan later this month. 

He will attend the Nikkei 30th Future of Asia conference in Tokyo on May 29–30. Prof Yunus, who received the Nikkei Asia Prize in 2004, was formally invited to the event by Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ikuina Akiko earlier this year.

During the meeting, Japan expressed its intention to further strengthen engagement with Bangladesh under the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (Big-B) and the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision, with a focus on sustainable regional development.

Japan reiterated its support for high-quality infrastructure projects in Bangladesh and encouraged Japanese companies to expand industrial value chains in the country.

The Japanese delegation also affirmed its support for Bangladesh's interim government and its reform initiatives, committing continued socio-economic development assistance, including official development assistance (ODA), concessional loans, and potential budgetary support.

Bangladesh, on its part, requested Japan's continued support for Duty-Free Quota-Free (DFQF) access for Bangladeshi products in the post-LDC graduation period, and enhanced market access, especially for agricultural goods like fruits and vegetables.

Both sides also discussed cooperation in:

Human resource development, Energy transition via the Joint Crediting Mechanism, Renewable energy including solar power, Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), Waste disposal facilities (TSDFs), Earthquake and disaster risk reduction, Mechanisation of agriculture and shipyard modernisation.

The Rohingya issue also featured prominently in the talks. Appreciating Bangladesh's continued efforts to shelter the displaced Rohingya population, the Japanese side pledged to maintain its humanitarian assistance and press for their early repatriation to Myanmar.

The consultations reviewed progress since the 5th round held in Dhaka in June 2024 and concluded with a shared vision of leveraging strategic locations, resources, and capabilities to advance development and prosperity for both nations.

Diplomatic sources confirmed that efforts are underway to arrange a bilateral meeting between Prof Yunus and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during the visit.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the FOC as a "very productive, fruitful and wide-ranging" dialogue and reiterated the two countries' commitment to deepening political trust and achieving the full potential of their strategic partnership.