Bangladesh Wants to Stand on Its Own Feet, Not Depend on Foreign Aid: State Minister Humayun Kabir in Tokyo

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir has said Bangladesh no longer wants to run on dependence on foreign aid. He made the remark while speaking to journalists in Tokyo on Monday (26 October) after the first day's programme of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to Japan.

Humayun Kabir said the era of dependence on foreign aid is over. Bangladesh no longer wants to move forward relying on aid. Instead, it wants to stand on its own capacity and build investment-based partnerships with different countries. Bangladesh now wants to stand on its own feet and become an investment-based partner of different countries.

He said interest has been created in South-East Asia and other regions of the world in the new Bangladesh government's foreign policy, economic policy and various policy-making agendas.

Outlining the important programme of the second day of the prime minister's Tokyo visit, the state minister said the prime minister had spent a busy time in the first day's programme. On Tuesday, his bilateral meeting and top-level meeting with the prime minister of Japan are scheduled to take place. Details will be announced after that meeting.

The state minister said Japan's private sector has interest in investing in various sectors of Bangladesh.

He also said that during the 15 years of the Sheikh Hasina government, various issues had obstructed the Bangladesh-Japan relationship for different reasons, and an opportunity has now been created to overcome those and build a new partnership.

Humayun Kabir said there was a lack of trust before, and there was also more corruption. Now, through the democratic transition, Japan wants to build a relationship with Bangladesh in which there will be transparency and accountability, along with a sustainable and promising partnership and investment cooperation.