PM for more Japanese investment in Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought more Japanese investment to help Bangladesh become a middle-income country by 2021.

Hasina met a four-member delegation attending the Joint Bangladesh-Japan Public-Private Economic Dialogue.

They paid a courtesy call on her at her office on Thursday, her Press Secretary AKM Shamim Chowdhury said.

She discussed ways to increase trade and investment and other bilateral issues with the delegation.

Japanese Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Norihiko Ishiguro led the team.

"The prime minister said Bangladesh has a congenial investment-friendly environment which the Japanese entrepreneurs can take advantage of," Shamim Chowdhury said.

She said her government had allocated land for the Japanese investors in export-processing zones.

"The Japanese vice minister told the prime minister that Japanese investment in Bangladesh has increased 15 times in three years from 2009 to 2011.

“Japanese entrepreneurs are interested in investing in sectors affected by climate change and power and fuel sectors.”

Ishiguro said a high-level Japanese delegation comprising investors and businessmen would accompany the Japanese Prime Minister Shinjo Abe during his scheduled visit to Bangladesh on Sept 6 and 7.

"Ishiguro hoped that their entrepreneurs will be interested in large-scale investments in Bangladesh, as our country is situated at a strategic location between South and Southeast Asia," the press secretary said.

The delegation had discussed the planned ultra supercritical coal-fired power plant at Matarbarhi in Cox's Bazar, he said.

Japan had proposed to finance a large portion of the Tk 360 billion plant, he added.

Among others, the prime minister's International Affairs adviser Gowher Rizvi was present at the meeting.