Japan wants FTA with Bangladesh

[Black_cats]

12:00 AM, January 25, 2019 / LAST MODIFIED: 01:33 AM, January 25, 2019
Japan wants FTA with Bangladesh

Says Kamal

https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/japan-wants-fta-bangladesh-1692709

Star Business Report

Japan has expressed its interest to sign a free trade agreement with Bangladesh, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said yesterday.

Hiroyasu Izumi, Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh, showed the willingness when he met with the minister at his secretariat office on Wednesday, according to a statement of the ministry.

“Japan is a very trusted friend of Bangladesh and doesn't have any political agenda. So, it is very easy to work with Japan,” he said.

Kamal said Japan is assisting Bangladesh in various mega projects. The Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is being expanded with Japanese assistance. He said the way Bangladesh's economy is growing, more than 80 lakh international passengers will use the airport annually.

In the statement, Izumi said the Japan International Cooperation Agency is Bangladesh's biggest development partner and the assistance it provides is Japanese taxpayers' money. “It is the reflection of love from the people of Japan,” he said.

Japan is giving 200 billion yen ($1.8 billion) in loan to Bangladesh in six projects, including the metro rail one, the envoy said. “The level of loan will increase in future through state-level visits between the two countries.”

The minister requested the ambassador to increase the foreign investment in Bangladesh – to which Izumi responded positively.

 

[Foxtrot Delta]

Japan seems to be in love with bangladesh... Are they trying to counter chinese influence?

 

[Species]

Japan seems to be in love with bangladesh... Are they trying to counter chinese influence?

A well-known fact.

India doesn't have the money to even stand near China, hence, the US is betting on Japan.

 

[bd_4_ever]

We should really explore hi-tech and manufacturing based opportunities with Japan. As slowly need to diversify away from garments.

 

[Bilal9]

We should really explore hi-tech and manufacturing based opportunities with Japan. As slowly need to diversify away from garments.

The problem is - that Japan will have to backdate their technology about three decades before it is apropriate for Bangladeshi context (High Labor value addition). But Bangladesh will come up the learning curve fast.

Who knew ten years ago, our electronic and home appliance/white goods market would be close to 100% self-sufficient and devoid of imports.

In personal interaction, I have become very well acquainted with Japanese culture and am quite fond of it.

But not a fan of the 'Pan-Asia Co-prosperity Sphere' stuff and the latest wave of nationalism there. They just opened up their immigration policies to allow trained younger foreign workforce to work in Japan (mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai, Myanmarese and Nepalese). Labor shortage is very acute, majority of Japanese are aging rapidly.

Common folks are the same everywhere, whether China, Japan or Bangladesh.

 

[Mage]

Seminar on Bangladesh's IT sector held in Tokyo

Diplomatioc Correspondent

A seminar on the prospect of Bangladesh's IT sector was held yesterday at Fujitsu Research Institute in Tokyo.

Embassy of Bangladesh and Fujitsu Research Institute jointly organised the seminar, attended by over 100 representatives from different Japanese companies.

The keynote paper on the macroeconomic development of Bangladesh and prospects of Bangladesh's IT sector was presented by Rabab Fatima, ambassador of Bangladesh to Japan.

She said in 2019, Bangladesh was the 41st largest economy of the world, and is forecasted to be in the 24th position by 2032.

She urged Japanese investors to invest in IT sector of Bangladesh and to recruit skilled Bangladeshi IT professionals.

In a separate presentation, Akito Takahashi, director of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), explained the JICA development initiative in Bangladesh, including IT cooperation between the countries.

Later former president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) Mahboob Zaman discussed on Bangladesh-Japan IT collaboration. Besides, Nakatani Hirohisa of Fujitsu Research Institute pointed out the diverse IT market of Bangladesh as well as Asia.

A video documentary showcasing the development of Bangladesh was screened at the programme. The seminar was organised with the support of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), JICA and BASIS.

https://www.thedailystar.net/city/news/seminar-bangladeshs-it-sector-held-tokyo-1692943