Japan grateful to Bangladesh

Japan has again expressed its gratitude to Bangladesh for withdrawing from the election to a non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council in favour of Tokyo.

Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso extended his thanks to Bangladesh at a reception at the Bangladesh mission in Tokyo on Tuesday.

The embassy organised the reception in honour of the members of the reconstituted Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League at the city’s prestigious International House of Japan.

Aso is also the President of the Friendship League.

He appreciated the recent launching of a “Comprehensive Partnership” between Bangladesh and Japan by the two Prime Ministers.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had announced the withdrawal of Bangladesh’s candidature in favour of Japan during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit in September.

Tokyo reciprocated by expressing its deep gratitude to Bangladesh and its people.

The foreign ministry said more than 25 Diet members and 20 Japanese business leaders from Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Toray, Marubeni and Obayashi, who had accompanied Prime Minister Abe during his visit to Dhaka, were present at the function.

The Parliamentary League was reconstituted recently with 65 members.

The event began with welcome remarks by League Secretary General Ichiro Tsukada.

Bangladesh Ambassador Masud Bin Momen made the opening remarks.

He said that 2014 would be considered a “watershed year” in Bangladesh-Japan relations.

Welcoming the parliamentarians, he said that they could play an important role in promoting people-to-people contact between Dhaka and Tokyo.

Senior officials of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, and Transport and Tourism Ministry briefed the MPs and businessmen on the developments in Bangladesh-Japan bilateral relations.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Shiro Sadoshima was also present.

All guests were presented with the traditional ‘Nokshi Katha’ of Bangladesh.