Prof Yunus, Japan PM to Hold Budget Talks May 30

Before the bilateral talks, Tokyo will roll out a red-carpet to welcome the Chief Adviser amid guard of honour.

Acting Foreign Secretary Md Ruhul Alam Siddique briefed reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday afternoon, noting that the Chief Adviser will pay the official visit on May 28-31.

“The main focus of this visit is budgetary support," Siddique said while responding to a question, adding that all ‘strategic bilateral’ issues will be discussed.

He said a total of seven MoUs are likely to be signed during the official visit of the Chief Adviser.

Bangladesh has sought $1 billion from Japan as budgetary support in the form of ‘soft loan’ and the announcement will come formally after the bilateral talks and an exchange of notes will be signed.

The acting Foreign Secretary said Prof Yunus will leave Dhaka for Japan on May 27 (Tuesday night).

The Chief Adviser will attend the Nikkei 30th Future of Asia event and he will deliver a keynote speech in a plenary session.

Director General (East Asia & Pacific wing) Mohammed Nore-Alam and Director General (Public Diplomacy wing) Shah Asif Rahman also spoke at the briefing.

In February this year, Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ikuina Akiko invited Chief Adviser Prof Yunus to visit Japan for the Nikkei 30th Future of Asia event to be held on May 29-30 in Tokyo. Prof Yunus is also a recipient of the Nikkei Asia Prize in 2004.

Under the new plan for Free and Open Indo Pacific and Big-B initiatives, Japan wants to see the sustainable development of the region.

Japan said it would strengthen its engagement with Bangladesh under the Bay of Bengal Initiative (Big-B), as the country aims to support high-quality infrastructure development projects and encourage Japanese manufacturing and production companies to expand their industrial value chains to Bangladesh.

Under the new plan for Free and Open Indo Pacific and Big-B initiatives, Japan wants to see the sustainable development of the region, according to the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo.

Political, economic and sectoral cooperation issues along with trade and investment, people-to-people connectivity and cultural exchanges, Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (Rohingyas), security cooperation, and regional and global issues are likely to be discussed during the visit, a diplomatic source told UNB.

The two countries will further strengthen the bilateral relationship in a wide range of areas, including security, economy, economic cooperation, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, under the ‘Japan-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership’.