Tokyo: A bilateral summit meeting was held between the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, on Tuesday in Tokyo. During the meeting, both leaders emphasised further strengthening the long-standing friendly relations between Bangladesh and Japan, expanding trade and investment, ensuring energy security, enhancing cooperation in technology, space research, and infrastructure development, as well as on various regional and international matters, the Bangladesh Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement after the meeting.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called upon the Government of Japan and its private sector to engage more actively in realising Bangladesh’s goals for economic development, technological advancement, and industrialisation.
He stated that the government is working with a plan to transform Bangladesh into an economic, technological, and manufacturing hub. He noted that Bangladesh could become the world’s 9th largest consumer economy by 2030, and its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to surpass one trillion US dollars by 2034, the Bangladesh Prime Minister's Office (PMO) added.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman remarked that Japan holds a special place in the hearts of the Bangladeshi people. Japan was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh after its independence in 1971 and has played a pivotal role as one of Bangladesh’s most vital development partners ever since. He added that the relationship between the two nations is founded on a shared vision of mutual respect, trust, peace, prosperity, and stability, the statement said.
He recalled the two visits of his father, the martyred President Ziaur Rahman, to Japan, as well as the contributions of his mother, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, in strengthening Bangladesh-Japan ties. Following in their footsteps, he pledged to take the bilateral relations to new heights.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister laid special emphasis on ensuring Bangladesh’s energy security. He stated that securing a reliable and affordable energy supply is essential to sustaining the country’s economic growth. Expressing gratitude for Japan’s long-standing support in this regard, he highlighted the recent emergency assistance loan of 50 billion Japanese Yen under the "Partnership for Power Asia" initiative aimed at enhancing energy security across Asia. He called for increased Japanese investment and participation in Bangladesh’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure, efficient power generation, and renewable energy sectors, the statement said.
To build a technology-driven economy, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman proposed the establishment of a Bangladesh-Japan Tech Park. Through this initiative, he stressed connecting Japanese companies, universities, and investors with Bangladesh's young talent, entrepreneurs, and skilled workforce in the technology sector. The Prime Minister highlighted prioritising sectors such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, robotics, and electronics manufacturing within the proposed Tech Park. Additionally, he expressed Bangladesh’s keen interest in expanding cooperation with Japan’s advanced capabilities in space science, satellite engineering, and related technologies, it said.
To accelerate economic growth, the Prime Minister outlined plans to build a modern and integrated communication infrastructure. To this end, he shared plans for constructing a high-speed rail network connecting the country's six major divisional cities, alongside nationwide elevated expressways. The Prime Minister sought Japan’s cooperation in planning, technical assistance, investment, and financing for these mega-infrastructure projects. He noted that Japan’s extensive experience in infrastructure development and modern transportation systems could play a vital role in realising Bangladesh’s development aspirations, the statement said.
Welcoming new investments from Japanese business enterprises in Bangladesh, the Prime Minister stated that to foster an investment-friendly environment, his government is committed to enhancing transparency, predictability, and efficiency in regulatory frameworks, tax policies, customs clearance, and profit repatriation processes. Expressing optimism for the swift implementation of the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), he emphasised that both sides must work together to deliver the benefits of this agreement to the people of both nations, he said.
In discussions on regional and global issues, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman highlighted both countries' shared commitment to upholding multilateralism, international peace, and international law. He expressed gratitude for Japan’s support in the election of Bangladesh's Foreign Minister, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, as the President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Under his presidency, the Prime Minister looked forward to working closely with Japan to strengthen multilateral cooperation and address global challenges.
Reaffirming the shared vision of an open, free, peaceful, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, he underscored the importance of enhancing cooperation for regional connectivity, free flow of trade, and economic growth. The Prime Minister expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Myanmar and the resulting Rohingya displacement crisis. He called for an immediate end to all violence, unhindered access to humanitarian assistance, and dialogue among all stakeholders. He praised Japan’s support for Bangladesh's humanitarian efforts toward the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar's Rakhine State currently sheltered in Bangladesh. Urging Japan to maintain its active engagement with all parties to restore peace and stability in Rakhine, the Prime Minister stated that a permanent solution to this crisis lies within Myanmar. The voluntary, safe, dignified, and swift repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland must be ensured.
In his closing remarks, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that while maintaining the historical continuity of Bangladesh-Japan relations, this summit meeting marks the beginning of a new chapter. He expressed hope that this chapter will be built on deeper trust, expanded economic cooperation, robust investment partnerships, and a shared commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity. The Prime Minister proposed setting up a Ministerial-level Joint Commission to identify priority sectors, accelerate implementation, and translate cooperation opportunities into actionable initiatives. He also stressed the importance of fostering closer contact and collaboration between the business communities of both nations.
Noting that the constructive discussions at the meeting further fortified their shared aspirations for inclusive economic growth and sustainable development, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman extended an invitation to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expressed hope that the friendly relations between Bangladesh and Japan will grow even deeper and broader in the future on the foundation of mutual trust, cooperation, and shared prosperity.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
