PM returns home after four-day Japan visit

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman returned home early today wrapping up his four-day official visit to Japan aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, attracting investment and expanding trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. “A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the Prime Minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and members of his entourage landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 2:48 am,” said Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Shadhin. Earlier, the flight departed Narita International Airport in Tokyo at 10:55pm local time on 29 October, he added.

At the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Tarique Rahman’s visit featured high-level bilateral talks, the signing of cooperation agreements, discussions with Japanese business leaders on investment opportunities in Bangladesh, and visits to major industrial and energy facilities. During the bilateral summit at the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office on 27 October, Tarique Rahman and Takaichi discussed strengthening the longstanding partnership between the two countries, with particular emphasis on trade, investment, energy security, infrastructure, technology, space research and regional and international affairs. The two leaders also discussed a proposed private investment of one trillion Japanese yen (US$6. 3 billion) in Bangladesh’s energy, infrastructure and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors. They discussed sending a Japanese team to Bangladesh to expedite progress on the investment plan. Bangladesh secured pledges for two yen-loan projects worth a combined 46. 56 billion yen, equivalent to approximately US$295. 5 million and signed six bilateral cooperation instruments during the visit. The instruments included a grant agreement of up…