State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali on Monday said direct air connectivity between Bangladesh and Japan will play an important role in making the existing bilateral relations more effective and wider.

He said this while addressing an event organised by Biman Bangladesh Airlines on the grand opening of the Narita (Japan)-Dhaka Flight at a hotel in Japan’s Narita on Monday night (local time).

This flight is a gift from the prime minister to Bangladeshi expatriates brothers and sisters, he said, hoping that it will help expatriates keep a close relation with the country and make their journey to the country hassle free and more comfortable.

the Bangladeshis will avail themselves to visit Japan easier, he said.
Simultaneously, Japanese people can visit and enjoy Bangladeshi beautiful nature, rivers, mountain, the world's longest sea beach at Cox’s Bazar, greenery of tea gardens in Sylhet, traditional food and warm hospitality, colourful festivals, archaeological sites, many ancient mosques and temples, UNESCO declared world heritage and the world's largest mangrove forest Sundarbans, sixty dome mosque of Bagerhat and Paharpur Buddhist Vihara etc.

Actually, the aviation and tourism industry will take the relationship of the two countries further forward by creating people-to-people relations, he hoped.

Read: Biman’s Dhaka-Narita direct flights will boost Bangladesh-Japan trade, relations: BCCIJ president

He said opportunities for economic and technological cooperation, trade and investment, education, tourism, culture and sports activities will increase between the countries in the days to come.

Bangladesh offers an unparalleled investment climate compared to the other South Asian economies. Bangladesh is a largely homogeneous society with no major internal or external tensions and a population with great resilience in the face of adversity, the state minister said.

Mahbub Ali said the confidence of foreign investors in Bangladesh has increased, as the country has taken a series of measures to build up investment-friendly infrastructure; develop the energy sector; provide necessary facilities and support to set up industries and simplify rules and regulations.

Read more: Dhaka-Narita Tokyo direct flights launched 

The Sheikh Hasina led government is working relentlessly for extending the relations between the countries, he said, adding that Bangladesh and Japan enjoy closer ties than ever before.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Shahabuddin Ahmed in his speech said the newly-crafted Strategic Partnership has three important pillars – deepening diplomatic relations, enhancing economic cooperation and increasing cultural engagements and people to people contact.

Shafiul Azim, managing director and chief executive officer of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, said the newly launched direct flight between Dhaka-Narita will help further open up new possibilities and opportunities of business partnership and tourism promotion between the two countries.

Initially three flights per week will run between Dhaka and Narita.

The economic activities will also be enhanced exponentially which will create a win-win scenario for both Japan and Bangladesh, he said.

Mostafa Kamal Uddin, chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd, also spoke at the event.

Read more: After Narita (Tokyo), Biman eyeing flights to New York, Chennai, Los Angeles, Rome

Durga Bahadur Subedi, Nepal ambassador to Japan, other members from the diplomatic corps, delegation from Biman Bangladesh Airlines Lt., Japanese personalities and Bangladeshi communities joined the event.