Hasina, Mahathir to share thoughts on ‘emerging Asia’ in Japan

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will share her thoughts on the emerging Asia and its potential at an international conference in Japan with Mahathir Mohamad, known as the father of modern Malaysia.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 26 May 2019, 10:43 AM
Updated : 26 May 2019, 10:43 AM

They are also expected to meet in their first bilateral meeting after the 92-year-old Mahathir became the prime minister again in 2018.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen briefing reporters on Sunday said Hasina would be the keynote speaker at Nikkei Inc’s “The Future of Asia” in Tokyo.

He said Mahathir, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte will also speak at the conference which is considered one of the most important global conferences in Asia.

Political, economic and academic leaders from the Asia-Pacific region will offer their opinions frankly and freely on regional issues and the role of Asia in the world during the conference on May 30-31.

Analysts find similarities between Hasina’s development model which stresses industrial and commercial development and elimination of poverty and Mahathir’s when he developed Malaysia as the prime minister from 1981 to 2003.

Hasina in her keynote speech will emphasise the future of the ‘emerging Asia’ and its potential, the Rohingya crisis and technological advancements.

She will also highlight the development process of Bangladesh.

During her Japan visit from May 28-30, Hasina will have a bilateral meeting with her counterpart Shinzo Abe. She will also attend a business roundtable with top businessmen. The president of Japan’s development arm, JICA, will also call on the prime minister.

From Tokyo, Hasina will go to Jeddah to attend the OIC summit on May 31 and will then go to Finland. She will return to Dhaka on June 8, the foreign minister said.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam will accompany the prime minister to Japan and Saudi Arabia while Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen will be in Jeddah before the prime minister to attend OIC foreign ministers’ meet before the summit.