TOKYO, May 30 (NNN-BSS) — Bangladesh and Japan reiterated their firm stance to fight terrorism together as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held bilateral talks here.
“The two leaders pledged to work in unison against terrorism and violent extremism both at the national and international levels,” Foreign Secretary Mohammad Shahidul Haque said while briefing reporters after the talks held at the Prime Minister’s Office here Wednesday afternoon.
The foreign secretary added that Hasina said Bangladesh and Japan will work together to take the existing relationship to a “strategic level”.
“The prime minister also sought Japanese cooperation to extract gas hydrate from seabed,” Haque said.
The premier urged Abe to take skilled manpower from Bangladesh as Japan introduced new immigration law.
In this connection, she proposed to open a skill development institute in Bangladesh to make people skilled.
Abe responded very positively in this regard and said officials of the two countries will discuss the issue.
The Japanese premier congratulated Hasina on her reelection for the third consecutive term and expressed his desire to work with her government, the foreign secretary said.
Sheikh Hasina invited her Japanese counterpart to attend the “Mujib Borsho” to be celebrated in 2020-2021 and Abe accepted the invitation, saying that he will consider it positively.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh and Japan signed their 40th Official Development Assistance (ODA deal involving US$ 2.5 billion for implementing four projects which are expected to bolster ties between the two countries.
Ban gladesh Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Monowar Ahmed and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Hiroyasu Izumi signed the ODA deal on behalf of their respective sides in Tokyo here.
Hasina and Abe witnessed the signing at the Japanese premier’s office following their bilateral talks.
Four projects, taken under the 40th ODA package deal, are Matarbari Port
Development Project, Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line 1), Foreign Direct Investment Promotion Project and Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Promotion Financing Project (Phase 2).
Besides, a note on collaboration between Bangladesh and JICA was exchanged at the function. — NNN-BSS
