Meeting JICA president in Tokyo, prime minister calls for continued Japanese cooperation in implementing Bangladesh's development priorities

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called on Japan to continue its cooperation in implementing Bangladesh's development priorities, ensuring energy security and improving people's living standards. He made the call during a courtesy meeting with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Dr Tanaka Akihiko at the Hotel Imperial at 5:10pm local time in Japan on Monday.

JICA Senior Vice President Hara Shohei and senior officials of the agency were present at the meeting. The prime minister's Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Swadhin provided the details of the meeting.

At the start of the meeting, the prime minister recalled the fruitful meeting held in Dhaka in July 2026 during the JICA president's visit to Bangladesh. He expressed gratitude for Japan's long-standing cooperation in Bangladesh's socio-economic development and for JICA's important contribution.

The prime minister said Japan's cooperation continues to play an important role in the country's infrastructure development, socio-economic progress and fulfilment of its development aspirations. In his words, it is important to continue cooperation with Japan to deepen the two countries' long-standing friendly relations, and for Bangladesh's development and the improvement of people's living standards.

The meeting emphasised completing the large development projects under way with Japanese assistance within the scheduled time. It also discussed speeding up the approval and implementation of priority projects awaiting approval. Considering Bangladesh's current development priorities, the prime minister also emphasised continued concessional loan assistance from Japan and increased technical cooperation.

Several important proposals were raised by Bangladesh during the meeting. They include building a 'Bangladesh-Japan Skills Partnership', establishing a 'Technological Village and Innovation City', and increasing Japanese cooperation in agricultural modernisation, agro-product processing and the light engineering sector.

In addition, considering the current situation in the global energy sector, a request was made for budget support, as last year, to meet the country's energy demand and ensure energy security. In response, the JICA president reaffirmed his commitment to working together for Bangladesh's prosperity. The prime minister expressed hope that these initiatives would further strengthen the Bangladesh-Japan strategic partnership and play an important role in the two countries' shared prosperity.

Also present from Bangladesh were Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, the prime minister's Finance and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humayun Kabir, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit, and the prime minister's Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad.

Also present were the prime minister's Special Assistant for Asia-Pacific foreign employment Dr Md Shakirul Islam, Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiqui, the prime minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon and other senior officials of the Bangladesh government.