Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was welcomed by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Eight agreements and cooperation memorandums have been signed between Bangladesh and Japan, including defense cooperation, information technology, and cyber security. On the second day of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Japan, these agreements and memorandums were signed between the two countries on Wednesday. Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had a summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Through the Prime Minister’s visit to Tokyo, the existing bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Japan were upgraded from an ‘integrated partnership’ to a ‘strategic partnership’. In the meeting of the two Prime Ministers, various matters of interest were discussed. At this time, the Prime Minister of Japan reiterated his country’s support to Bangladesh to repatriate the Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Eight agreements and memorandums of understanding
Eight agreements and cooperation memorandums were signed in the presence of the Prime Ministers of the two countries at the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan. The concerned persons of the two friendly countries signed MoUs on agriculture, metro rail, industrial development, shipbreaking industry, customs matters, intellectual property, defense cooperation, information technology, and cyber security cooperation. Later Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister Kishida made a joint statement. The signing of the MoU on Defense Cooperation between the Governments of Bangladesh and Japan will strengthen cooperation in defense dialogue, exchange of visits, education, training, courses, seminars, workshops, technology transfer, and any other agreed activities relevant thereto. A memorandum of cooperation has been signed between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan and the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges of Bangladesh. This results in cooperation on metro rail, cooperation on Metrorail policies, laws and regulations, technology for infrastructure, rolling stock, and systems; Cooperation in security policy and management and disaster prevention will increase. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has commented that the existing bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Japan have successfully reached from a ‘comprehensive partnership’ to a ‘strategic partnership’. He said, “I have discussed bilateral relations with Prime Minister Kishida.” We are very happy that we have been able to upgrade the existing bilateral relations between the two countries from an integrated partnership to a strategic partnership. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said these things after a bilateral meeting at the country’s Prime Minister’s office in Tokyo yesterday. Sheikh Hasina said, “Today Prime Minister Kishida and I have given a joint statement on strategic partnership. I believe that the excellent understanding, friendship, and cooperation between the peoples and governments of our two countries will be strengthened in the days to come. The Prime Minister said, “Our bilateral cooperation in agriculture, customs, defense, information technology and cyber security, industrial development, intellectual property, ship recycling, and The agreements and MoUs signed on Metrorail will institutionalize future cooperation.” In the bilateral meeting, both sides discussed the Rohingya issue as well as the Maheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative (MIDI) and the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B) economic development. Discusses partnerships. Japan reiterates its support to Bangladesh in repatriating Rohingyas to Myanmar. Sheikh Hasina said that due to the Rohingya population, the life and livelihood of the local people in Cox’s Bazar have been seriously damaged in the meeting. He said, ‘We have requested Japan to negotiate with Myanmar using their communication channels to find a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis. The Prime Minister said that Dhaka-Narita direct flight is going to start this year. He further said that they also discussed the issue of MIDI and Big-B initiatives for the development of the southern region of Bangladesh and establishing connectivity to the Bay of Bengal and neighboring regions. Sheikh Hasina said, ‘We thank the Japanese government for being our biggest development partner. We look forward to concluding the Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan in the coming days. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida reiterated his country’s support to Bangladesh for the repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar, saying Bangladesh and Japan have upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership. He said, ‘Bangladesh has sheltered nearly one million displaced persons from Myanmar and we will continue to support Bangladesh’s efforts. The Prime Minister of Japan said these things in a joint statement after the bilateral talks with Sheikh Hasina. He also said that both countries will work to deepen bilateral relations in various fields and expand cooperation in the international arena. Kishida said the two sides expressed their commitment to maintaining a free and open international system based on the rule of law as strategic partners at a time when the international system is at a historic juncture. He also said that the two countries have agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations in a wide range of areas based on the new plan for a free and open Indo-Pacific point announced last month. The Japanese Prime Minister said that Bangladesh is a country of significant economic development and an attractive investment destination. Therefore, Tokyo hopes that the establishment of an economic zone and improvement of the investment environment will further strengthen economic relations between the two countries.Deputy Press Secretary of the Prime Minister KM Sakhawat Hossain said that the Prime Minister met the Emperor at 3 pm local time at the Imperial Palace. Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Chairman of Bangladesh-Japan Commercial and Economic Cooperation Committee, President of JICA, Chairman of JETRO, and President of Bangladesh Friendship Parliamentary League met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina separately at Akasaka Palace. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka last Tuesday. The Prime Minister landed at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport at 4:45 PM local time on the same day. He was given a red carpet-reception at the airport. Sheikh Hasina is in Japan on a four-day state visit at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
