Speaker of the House of the Nation Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury urged Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori to work to boost investment in the country's economic zones, along with cooperation in information-technology and infrastructure development.  

The speaker made the call when the Japanese ambassador paid a courtesy call at her office in the parliament premises on Monday.

Different issues including the recent visit of parliamentary delegation led by the speaker to Japan, unprecedented development of Bangladesh, expansion of trade and commerce, increasing Japanese investment to Bangladesh and strengthening bilateral relations through parliamentary friendship groups were discussed during the meeting, according to a media release signed by Md Tariq Mahmud, director (public relations) of the parliament secretariat.

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She said Japan has been a natural friend of Bangladesh since the country’s independence and the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman visited Japan at the invitation of the country in 1973.

Claiming the recent visit of the parliamentary delegation to Japan as effective, she said mutual cooperation, increase of trade and commerce and relations between the countries were strengthened further through the meetings with the speaker and the president of Japan's House of Representatives and House of Councillors respectively.

The Speaker thinks the parliamentary delegation was enriched in experience through visiting the Japanese parliament.

Moreover, visits at the National Museum for Emerging Science and Innovation and Aquarium located in WASAKA of Japan were memorable, she said.

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Terming the visit glorious, Ambassador Kiminori said Bangladesh is an old friend of Japan.

He said Japan is an investment associate of his country and the bilateral relations between the countries will be strengthened through visits of parliamentary friendship groups in future.

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