State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Wednesday expressed his optimism that Bangladesh-Japan relations would further be strengthened through the upcoming prime ministers-level meeting in Tokyo. “We keep working with this expectation,” he said in a Facebook post, adding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s official visit to Japan will hopefully benefit the common people of the two countries. The Prime Minister is scheduled to pay the official visit to Japan from November 29 to December 1 at the invitation of her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida. Read more: Myanmar situation doesn't allow full-scale Rohingya repatriation now: Japan The State Minister said Bangladesh conveyed necessary messages to Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki which did not need to be shared with the media. In a separate note on Facebook, he wrote, “If some of you have forgotten: Article 41 paragraph 1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 reminds diplomats to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state and unequivocally restricts them from meddling in that nation's domestic affairs.” Without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State, according to Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Read more: Japan wants "strategic" partnership with Bangladesh through practical cooperation They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State and all official business with the receiving State entrusted to the mission by the sending State shall be conducted with or through the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the receiving State or such other ministry as may be agreed. On Monday, Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki said he heard about the example of “ballot box stuffing” and some police officers stuffed the ballot box the previous night which is something he had never heard of in any other country. Read more: FM Momen urges Japan to stand by Bangladesh in its development journey The government said the Japanese side did not raise such an issue in the last four years in any bilateral meeting or any discussion. Even it was not mentioned in the statement issued by the Japanese Embassy after the 2018 elections which was focused on violence.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito has identified five challenges ahead that Bangladesh and Japan need to address together to elevate the solid partnership to a higher level with multifaceted greater cooperation as the two countries are set to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations in a big way next year. The five challenges, he said, are: to develop Bangladesh-Japan strategic partnership, make Bangladesh more attractive for business, expand people-to-people exchange, enhance cooperation with Bangladesh as a partner to realize Free and Open Indo-Pacific and strengthen efforts to increase Bangladesh’s stature in the region and beyond. “We need to move forward. I think our relations will naturally deepen in each of those agendas but we shouldn’t take it for granted,” Ambassador Ito said while delivering the keynote speech at a virtual dialogue that premiered on Sunday evening. Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, hosted the dialogue titled “Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Prognosis for the Future” as a part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series. The opening remarks were delivered by the Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government. Md Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy, Climate Vulnerable Forum; Hayakawa Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Prof Masaaki Ohashi, Professor, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo; Manzurul Huq, columnist, writer and academic; Prof Takahara Akio, Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo and Ambassador (Retd) Tariq A Karim, Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation comprised the panel of discussants. Ambassador Ito said the two countries should make “conscious and constant efforts” to continue to enjoy the current state of relationship and develop it even further. “We shouldn’t be complacent about ourselves.” He said the year 2022 will provide an excellent opportunity to elevate the partnership even to a higher level and wished that the two countries could call the partnership as “truly strategic partners”. Ambassador Ito who already spent 20 months in Bangladesh said the development of quality infrastructures and the strengthening of connectivity under the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth (BIG-B Initiative) will be beneficial not only to the development of Bangladesh but also to regional peace and stability. “Our leaders are really conscious that this BIG-B is important - not only for the development of Bangladesh but also for the stability of the entire Bay of Bengal region, beyond Bangladesh itself,” he said. Enayetullah Khan said even as Japan’s geo-strategic role and position grows in great strides, Japan has remained faithful in its commitments to Bangladesh that significantly contributed to Bangladesh’s current emergence as a development success story. “To me, it seems Bangladesh-Japan friendship is a function of not just mutual benefits, but mainly of pure fellow-feeling. From whichever perspective you view Bangladesh-Japan friendship, it’ll stand out in all weathers and seasons as does in 36 views of Mount Fuji in the famous paintings of HOKUSAI,” he said.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito has said Japan will seize the opportunity to find a “long-term and lasting solution” to the Rohingya crisis with the Myanmar side, noting that the issue is very relevant to the future stability of the entire region. “What we can say right now is Japan will seize the opportunity to raise this very, very important issue with the Myanmar side and its military now whenever appropriate,” he said. The Japanese envoy said his country will do its best to create an enabling environment for the early repatriation of Rohingyas and will continue to raise the issue with the Myanmar side whenever appropriate. He was responding to a question at a virtual dialogue titled “Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Prognosis for the Future” where he delivered the keynote speech. Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, hosted the dialogue as a part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series. The opening remarks were delivered by the Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government. Md Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy, Climate Vulnerable Forum; Hayakawa Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Prof Masaaki Ohashi, Professor, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo; Manzurul Huq, Columnist, writer and academic; Prof Takahara Akio, Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo and Ambassador (retd) Tariq A Karim, Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation comprised the panel of discussants. Also read: Ambassador Ito sees 5 challenges ahead to elevate Dhaka-Tokyo ties Ambassador Ito said humanitarian assistance and humanitarian crises are very much part of their vision when they talk about stability and peace of the region. He said it is very difficult to predict what is going to happen in Myanmar right now in light of the current situation in that country since the February 1 military coup with a complete standoff.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito provides the centrepiece, as experts from Bangladesh and Japan are brought together (in the safety of cyberspace) by Cosmos Foundation, for a dialogue on the bilateral relations between two important  partners in growth, development, and increasingly trade.   The keynote address at the online symposium titled “Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Prognosis for the Future”, will be delivered by Ambassador Ito, who has now served in the post for slightly more than 18 months.  Read: Japan to send 2.9 mn doses of AstraZeneca vaccine for Bangladesh: Envoy A key thrust of the ambassador’s address will be the identification of 5 challenges, that he believes must be overcome in order for the bilateral relationship to fully thrive in the years ahead.   Chairman of Cosmos Foundation Enayetullah Khan will set the stage in his opening remarks for a richly engaging discussion, that premieres tonight (Sunday, 8PM BST) on the Foundation’s Facebook page.   As is by now customary for the Foundation’s flagship events, chairing the proceedings will be the renowned scholar-diplomat, as well as adviser on foreign affairs to the last caretaker government Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.    Read: ‘Thanks Japan’, Dr Momen says over vaccine supply  It would be the latest instalment in the Foundation’s ‘Ambassador Lecture Series,’ where a foreign emissary based in Dhaka is invited to deliver a keynote, before engaging at length with a high-level panel of experts, who are chosen for their particular knowledge and experience relating to the day’s topic.   For the edition premiering tonight – and thereafter available for viewing at any time - the expert panel comprises Md Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy, Climate Vulnerable Forum; Hayakawa Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Prof Masaaki Ohashi, Professor, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo; Manzurul Huq, columnist, writer and academic; Prof Takahara Akio, Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo and Ambassador (Retd) Tariq A Karim, Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation.     Read:Cosmos Dialogue on Dhaka-Washington ties premieres Saturday on Facebook  Cosmos Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Bangladeshi conglomerate the Cosmos Group. Registered to operate under a trust structure since 2016, it is committed to bringing together the finest minds from home and abroad onto common fora - such that they elicit strategic insights and policy solutions for the most pressing issues facing Bangladesh, as it charts its course towards a future that is ever-brighter.    Don’t forget to catch the premiere via Facebook of the entire discussion tonight, at 8pm BST. Thereafter it will be available for viewing entirely at your discretion and convenience, from Cosmos Foundation’s Facebook page, as well as the www.facebook.com/unbnewsroom page.  You can also catch up on previous editions.