JICA to work closely with Bangladesh, says its chief after Hasina meeting

Japanese international development agency JICA wants to work more closely with Bangladesh, says its chief.

JICA President Shinichi Kitaoka made the statement during his courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday in Tokyo.

The JICA president congratulated Hasina on her winning the reelection as prime minister, Hasina's speech writer Nazrul Islam told the media after the meeting.

"Its chief hopes that Bangladesh will be more prosperous in future under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina," said Nazrul.

The relationship between Bangladesh and Japan will be strengthened on its 50th anniversary in 2022.

Japan is the biggest single bilateral development partner to Bangladesh. Bangladesh has received $11.3 billion from Japan in assistance since 1972.

Both nations have signed a $2.5 billion official development assistance (ODA) following the meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Bangladesh counterpart on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Hasina recalled the assistance provided by Japan since Bangladesh's independence and expressed her deep shock and condolences at the Japanese citizens killed in the terror attack at the Holey Artisan eatery in Dhaka in 2016.

Bangladesh has shown 'noticable' increase in its GDP growth, said Shinichi. The JiCA will strengthen the educational programme with Bangladesh and are willing to work on the human resource development in Bangladesh.

The prime minister urged the JICA president to establish a training centre to develop skilled human resources in Bangladesh.

Much as Japan has done, Bangladesh is also transforming into a industry-based economy from an agrarian one, said Hasina.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman chose Japan as the model for the country's development, she said.

"Asia has developed, developing and underdeveloped countries in it. It will dominate the world if we all work together," said the prime minister.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Prime Minister's Adviser on Private Sector and Investment Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Principal Secretary Nazibur Rahman, Principal Secretary on SDG Affairs Abul Kalam Azad, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and Bangladesh Ambassador in Japan Rabab Fatima were present in the meeting.