PM Hasina
Rishi Sunak praises Bangladesh’s economic growth, calls PM Hasina a great inspiration
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday (May 05, 2023) said that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a great inspiration to him.
“My wife and two daughters are your fans,” he was quoted as saying during a bilateral meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart at the Marlborough House of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.
This was the first meeting between the two prime ministers after Sunak took over as the Prime Minister of Britain.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is in London to attend the coronation of King Charles III.
Also read: PM Hasina holds bilateral meeting with Rishi Sunak
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem briefed reporters after the meeting. PM’s Speech Writer M Nazrul Islam was also present during the briefing.
PM Hasina congratulated Sunak at the beginning of the meeting. She congratulated him on becoming the first British prime minister of Asian heritage at a young age.
“You are a great example of what the youth can do,” she was quoted as saying.
Praising Bangladesh's economic growth and Sheikh Hasina's leadership, Sunak wanted to know the secret behind success in maintaining high economic growth before and after the Covid-19 pandemic, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Britain said.
Read More: UK’s Sunak set to say security guarantees need for Ukraine
She also said the British PM considers Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a role model.
Highlighting UK's relationship with Bangladesh, the High Commissioner said, “Rishi Sunak said that our relationship is very good. We have a wonderful relationship of 50 years. (In the future) it will be even better.”
She said that there was a discussion on business relations between the two PMs.
“As you know our relationship with Britain earlier was an aid-based relationship. But now, even 1 percent of our GDP is not from aid,” the Bangladesh High Commissioner said.
Read More: Sunak marks 100 days as UK prime minister as problems mount
“The British PM wanted to increase the trade and investment between Bangladesh and Britain,” she said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that British companies should invest more in Bangladesh.
High Commissioner Saida Muna also said that Britain attaches great importance to Bangladesh.
Heads of states and governments from 130 countries have come to the UK to attend the King's coronation. “Among them, Rishi Sunak has held bilateral meetings with the heads of states and governments of only 7 countries. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was among them.”
Read More: Dhaka, Beijing should "deepen strategic partnership" to explore new growth points: Ambassador Yao
During the bilateral meeting that went on for about 35 minutes, various bilateral and regional issues were discussed as well as Rohingyas who were forcibly displaced from their homeland in Myanmar.
Saida Muna said, "Rishi Sunak mentioned that Bangladesh is carrying this huge burden, and Britain understands that it is a big problem."
Sheikh Hasina thanked the British Prime Minister and people for their support to the Rohingya issue. She also said that the burden of Rohingyas has become a big security threat.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina invited Rishi Sunak to visit Bangladesh to see the conditions of Rohingyas firsthand.
Read More: UK private sector to remain invested in BD's aviation sector
Sunak praised Prime Minister Hasina's leadership on the issue of climate change as well.
While talking about the Ashrayan Project, the Bangladeshi Prime Minister said that so far some seven lakh homeless families have been given houses under the project.
British PM Rishi Sunak highly praised the Ashrayan project, the Bangladesh High Commissioner said.
Election is Bangladesh’s internal affair, would refrain from commenting: Japanese Ambassador
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori has said he would prefer to refrain from commenting on Bangladesh’s upcoming election, calling it “an internal affair”.
“I would refrain from making any comments on this. It is an internal affair of Bangladesh,” he said when a journalist wanted to know Japan’s position on the subject after bilateral relationship was elevated to “strategic partnership” during PM Hasina’s recent official visit.
Also Read: US calls upcoming national election an 'internal' affair of Bangladesh
The ambassador was briefing media at the Japanese Embassy on Wednesday on the recent meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Tokyo.
Iwama Kiminori made the remark when during the briefing, a journalist referred to the previous Japanese ambassador’s comment in November last year.
At the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Sheikh Hasina made an official visit to Japan and had a summit meeting on April 26.
Read More: Bangladesh, Japan focusing on ‘comprehensive and targeted-oriented’ partnership: Ambassador
BNP-Jamaat protesters refuse PM Hasina's invite to meet her in hotel: Official
When Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina saw a group of BNP-Jamaat supporters protesting outside Ritz Carlton hotel in Washington DC amid cold and pouring rain, she invited them to come inside to talk about their problems.
But the demonstrators poured cold water on her good gesture and left the place. This happened here on Tuesday.
According to Prime Minister's speech writer M Nazrul Islam when Hasina was coming to hotel Ritz Carlton to attend a civic reception she saw that some supporters of BNP-Jamaat were demonstrating in front of the hotel.
Read More: Arson terrorists, killers must not grab power again: PM Hasina
“The Prime Minister saw it and at that time it was raining and biting cold outside,” he said.
Hasina said since they (BNP-Jamaat supporters) are demonstrating outside in cold, let their representatives come in, according to Nazrul.
“Let them come in here to say what they want,” he quoted the PM as saying.
Read More: PM Hasina seeks long-term US partnership to build Smart Bangladesh
The premier then asked her PS-II Al Mamun Murshed and one official from the the Bangladesh mission to bring them to the hotel.
“But police officials here at first denied to allow them without the permission from the hotel authority, then the officials took the permission from the hotel authority for taking them inside. But the demonstrating BNP-Jamaat supporters left the place spurning the good gesture of the Prime Minister,” Nazrul mentioned.
The prime minister sincerely wanted to listen to them, he said.
Read More: Stay with us in implementing future physical & social mega projects: PM Hasina to WB
Arson terrorists, killers must not grab power again: PM Hasina
Denouncing opposition BNP and Jamaat as arson terrorists Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated her call to the people to prevent them from coming to the power again.
“The arson terrorist BNP-Jamaat alliance, the killers, the anti-liberation forces and war criminals must not come to power again in this land (Bangladesh),” she said.
The prime minister said this on Tuesday while speaking at a civic reception accorded to her at Ritz Carlton hotel here.The PM is now in Washington on a six-day official visit to the United States during which she attended the celebration of 50 years of Bangladesh's partnership with the World Bank.
Also read: PM Hasina arrives in Washington DC
She said that BNP-Jamaat nexus drove Bangladesh to the verge of destruction during their regime.
She said that her Awami League government has been able to put Bangladesh on the "highways of development" through hard work over the last 14 years.
“Bangladesh will keep marching forward. Bangladesh will be built as the developed and prosperous Golden Bengladesh of the Father of the Nation, and that is our aim. We will work keeping that target in our mind,” she said.
Hasina said that the government has built the country as Digital Bangladesh.
“Taking advantage of digital Bangladesh they (BNP-Jamaat) are engaged in spreading lies against us. please do not pay heed to their propaganda,” she told her audience.
The prime ninister recalled that millions shed blood and sacrificed their lives for the country's independence. "Let's proudly work with our heads held high," she urged.
She described her government's measures to ensure the overall socio-economic development in the country, including in infrastructure, healthcare, accommodation, education and employment generation.
“We have made it possible as the Awami League has been in power,” she stated.
She said the Awami League is a pro-people party and has always worked for establishing the rights of the masses. “The Awami League always works for the welfare of the people. The fate of the people gets changed whenever the party assumes office.”
“Development occurs whenever the Awami League assumes office. ---we have become a developing country and are determined to build the country as a developed and prosperous one,” she said.
She recognised the contribution of the Bangladeshi expatriates abroad, saying, “Expatriates have made great contributions to the development of our country.”
The PM requested the expatriates to send remittance home through legal channels instead of hundi as the government has announced a 2.5 percent incentive for this.
She said the wheels of the economy has kept running after the global economic crisis caused by Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war thanks to the government’s timely measures.
Many countries including the developed ones are now facing difficulties due to the ongoing war, but Bangladesh’s condition is still better than many others, she said.
The premier once again called upon the citizens to boost food production in the country to avert any crisis.
Referring to cutting the poverty rate to 18.7 percent and hardcore poverty rate to 5.6 percent, she said there will be no extreme poverty in the country.
The PM said the government is giving free houses with land under the Ashrayan Project to the homeless and landless people across the country following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She added that they have already given houses among 35 lakh people under the housing scheme and ensured their livelihoods.
“None will remain homeless in the country as her government has committed to bringing every person under the free housing scheme,” she said, adding that 60,000 more houses are being built for this purpose.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, among others, was present on the dais while Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Muhammad Imran moderated the function.
DSA in Bangladesh is much better than in Western countries: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that her government is looking into and examining similar digital security laws in the United States of America, United Kingdom, European countries and beyond to learn how they are applied in those countries – noting that Bangladesh’s law is much simpler than others.
The PM made the remarks during an interview with Voice of America’s Bangla service.
She said that if someone is creating social unrest or jeopardizing national security or imparting training on militancy and making bombs online than strict action must be taken accordingly.
“If someone, known as a journalist, tries to steal a file from a ministry, should that person be rewarded? If you do it in any civilized country, what action is taken against that person?” – the PM said.
Read More: Arson terrorists, killers must not grab power again: PM Hasina
“Despite being caught red-handed, the journalist was labelled a hero and awarded,” she observed.
“While the whole world was in total disarray due to Covid-19, and we were discussing buying vaccines, an official caught the file thief…. That person then became a hero and was rewarded. If this happened in any other country, developed or civilized, what would they have done?” – the Prime Minister posed the question.
The PM said law on digital security does not only exist in Bangladesh; the US and UK also have such laws.
“People in Bangladesh are using the internet and mobile phones more than ever. Out of 17 crore people, 12-13 crore have SIM cards,” she said.
Read More: PM Hasina seeks long-term US partnership to build Smart Bangladesh
“There are so many issues… so many… teaching online how to make bombs, how to kill people… these need to be stopped. I think this should be given special attention internationally. Action needs to be taken against those who are involving children and teenagers online in such crimes,” said the Prime Minister.
However, she said, the Bangladesh government is quite vigilant regarding the Digital Security Act. “In our country, there was a law earlier, when military dictators were in power, under which any journalist could be arrested without summons. After I (Awami League government) took over, I stopped this.”
“So, this is not a case of journalists being harassed. If anyone is involved in anti-social activities or militancy, generally action is taken against them,” the Prime Minister told Voice of America.
Read More: Extradition of convicted Tarique Rahman depends on UK govt: PM Hasina
Many countries can learn from Bangladesh’s approaches to reducing poverty, empowering women, adapting to climate change: WB President
As a long-standing partner, World Bank Group President David Malpass has said that they will support Bangladesh as it navigates a challenging global environment on its way to reaching upper-middle-income status by 2031.
“I am confident that with the right set of policies and timely action, Bangladesh can achieve its growth aspirations,” he said while speaking at the celebration of 50 years of partnership with Bangladesh on May 1.
The World Bank president said Bangladesh’s remarkable journey was made possible by the indomitable energy and resilience of its people and a national will to build a prosperous nation.
Following the celebration, Malpass also tweeted: “Many countries can learn from Bangladesh’s innovative approaches to reducing poverty, empowering women, and adapting to climate change.”
Read: Stay with us in implementing future physical & social mega projects: PM Hasina to WB
“We are proud of our partnership and look forward to opening the next chapter together with you,” he said at the celebration, addressing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Three lessons stand out from Bangladesh’s development experience and can inspire other countries: empowering women and girls, investing in people and connectivity, and moving decisively on climate adaptation and resilience, said the World Bank President.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and World Bank Group President David Malpass celebrated 50 years of partnership between Bangladesh and the World Bank at the institution’s headquarters in Washington DC.
The partnership has helped lift millions of Bangladeshis out of poverty and supported the country’s economic growth and development.
Read: Bangladesh, World Bank sign US$ 2.25 billion loan agreement comprising 5 projects
The World Bank is providing Bangladesh with $2.25 billion of financing to improve regional connectivity, boost disaster preparedness to address inland flooding, transition to green and climate-resilient development, strengthen environmental management and green investment, and help the micro-enterprise sector become less polluting and more climate-resilient.
Since its independence in 1971, Bangladesh has transformed from one of the poorest countries to achieving lower-middle income status in 2015. The country is now among the world’s fastest-growing economies.
“In 1971, when Bangladesh was born, many development experts were sceptical about the country’s future. The aspirations germinated by our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and, our people have shown the world that with determination, it is possible to overcome even the hardest challenges. Bangladesh has transformed its economy and made it more resilient as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“The journey was not always easy, but we have never lost courage. In the past 50 years, the World Bank remained a steadfast development partner and supported our aspirations. We hope to work together with the World Bank as Bangladesh progresses to achieve higher-income country status by 2041,” she said.
Read More: External pressure behind World Bank's withdrawal from Padma Bridge, says PM Hasina urging it to look into future
Malpass reaffirmed the World Bank’s strong support for Bangladesh and its people as the country navigates unprecedented global challenges.
“As Bangladesh’s largest development partner, we welcome its progress in income growth and poverty reduction. We are committed to continuing our support to enable the private sector, create new job opportunities, broaden the tax base, strengthen the financial sector, and build the country’s resilience to economic and climate shocks,” said Malpass.
“Many countries can learn from Bangladesh’s development successes. The country stands out for its innovative approaches to reducing poverty in record time, empowering women, achieving wide-spread electricity access, and adapting to climate change,” he added.
The Prime Minister and the World Bank President inaugurated a multimedia photo exhibition depicting Bangladesh’s development story over the past five decades and joined a seminar to reflect on 50 years of partnership.
Read More: World Bank approves $1.25bn financing in 3 projects for Bangladesh
The World bank President also thanked the Prime Minister and the Bangladeshi people for hosting the displaced Rohingya people.
Bangladesh’s provision of shelter to more than 1.1 million Rohingya who fled from violence in Myanmar since 2017 saved thousands of lives.
“We will continue to work with you in providing support to the Rohingya,” he said, adding that the World Bank has mobilized US$590 million in grant financing, with support from Canada and in close collaboration with the UN family and others, to help provide local communities in Cox’s Bazar, and the displaced Rohingya population, with healthcare, education, basic services, and infrastructure.
“Several steps can improve the sustainability and impact of the programs: enhanced livelihood and education opportunities, resilient shelters, stronger inclusion of the Rohingyas into the national systems for service delivery, and leveraging government investments on the island of Bhasan Char,” the World bank President said.
Read More: Bangladesh a model country for World Bank: Momen briefs media on PM’s US visit.
Bangladesh, World Bank sign US$ 2.25 billion loan agreement comprising 5 projects
World Bank will provide USD 2.25 billion as loan to Bangladesh to develop various sectors, including regional trade and connectivity, disaster preparedness and environmental management.
A loan agreement was signed on Monday (May 01, 2023) between Bangladesh and the World Bank for implementing five projects.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and World Bank President David Malpass witnessed the exchanges of the financing agreement.
Read: Stay with us in implementing future physical & social mega projects: PM Hasina to WB
This loan agreement comprises five projects:
· Accelerating transport and trade connectivity in Eastern South Asia (ACCESS) – Bangladesh Phase-1 Project worth USD 753.45 million.
· USD 500 million Resilient Infrastructure Building Project (RIVER) for resilience, adaptation and vulnerability reduction that will be the first major investment to support Bangladesh’s Delta Plan 2100. It will help improve disaster preparedness against inland flooding.
· USD 500 million First Bangladesh Green and Climate Resilient Development (GCRD) project is the first such credit that will help the country’s transition to resilient development.
· USD 250 million Sustainable Microenterprise and Resilient Transformation (SMART) project aims to help transform the microenterprise sector into a more dynamic, less polluting, resource efficient and climate resilient growth sector.
· USD 250 million Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST) project to help strengthen environmental management and promote private sector participation in green investment.
Read More: External pressure behind World Bank's withdrawal from Padma Bridge, says PM Hasina urging it to look into future
Bangladesh took loan from IMF as a ‘breathing space’: PM tells IMF MD
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday (April 29, 2023) said that Bangladesh has taken a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a "breathing space".
The Prime Minister said this while an IMF delegation led by its Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva paid a courtesy call on her at the meeting room of The Ritz-Carlton hotel here.
The IMF in January this year approved a loan of USD 4.7 billion for Bangladesh.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen briefed reporters after the meeting.
Also Read: PM Hasina arrives in Washington DC
He said that the IMF MD highly praised the unprecedented advancement of Bangladesh in various sectors under the dynamic leadership of Sheikh Hasina which made the Bangladesh economy stable after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The IMF chief also said leadership like the Bangladesh PM is necessary to take countries towards prosperity, confronting all hurdles, Momen told reporters.
She said that Bangladesh has achieved remarkable progress due to massive infrastructure development, ensuring connectivity, and maintaining law and order.
Bangladesh's Prime Minister briefed the IMF chief of her government’s initiatives to ensure the overall development of her country.
Also Read: Extend more support for Rohingya: PM Hasina urges int’l community
"The development of the country didn’t happen in a day, rather it’s the result of longtime planning and work," the PM was quoted as saying.
She said that she prepared the plan on how she wanted to develop Bangladesh while she was in jail after a military-backed caretaker government assumed power in the political changeover of 2007, and started working with the plan after assuming power for the second time in 2009.
Sheikh Hasina also mentioned various steps of the government to fight the adverse impacts of climate change and to ensure women’s empowerment.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder said the IMF has always stood by Bangladesh over the last 14 years to maintain stability in the macro economy.
Read More: Bangladesh likely to get back the money borrowed by Sri Lanka: FM
He said that Bangladesh is currently engaged in a programme of USD 4.7 billion with IMF which the country got after only two weeks’ negotiation despite the fact that many countries cannot avail loan after negotiation for years.
"The IMF will continue such cooperation in the future," Rouf said, quoting the IMF chief.
He said that the Prime Minister hailed the role of IMF in the journey of Bangladesh's development and wished for continued support in future.
Senior Secretary of Finance Division Fatima Yasmin and Economic Relations Division Secretary Sharifa Khan were present during the briefing.
Read More: IMF loan program can be touchstone of financial sector reforms
According to a statement of IMF in January, Bangladesh will get this $4.7 billion loan in seven installments over the next 42 months. The average interest on the loan will be 2.2 percent.
Of the total amount, $3.3 billion will be available from the IMF’s ‘Enhanced Credit Support’ while $1.4 billion will come under the ‘Resilience and Sensibility Facility’.
The IMF had said that the loan will help stabilise Bangladesh's macroeconomy, implement necessary reforms to build capacity for social and development spending, strengthen the financial sector, modernise policy frameworks and address climate change.
The lending agency said that Bangladesh’s robust economic recovery from the pandemic has been interrupted by Russia’s war in Ukraine, leading to a sharp widening of Bangladesh’s current account deficit, depreciation of the taka and a decline in foreign exchange reserves.
Read More: IMF-Bangladesh Bank meeting prioritizes unified exchange rate and competitive lending rate
It further said that the authorities have taken on a comprehensive set of measures to deal with these latest economic disruptions.
The authorities recognise that in addition to tackling these immediate challenges, long-standing structural issues and vulnerabilities related to climate change will also need to be addressed to accelerate growth, attract private investment, enhance productivity, and build climate resilience, the IMF statement clarified.
Investment in Bangladesh will bring huge success: PM Hasina to Japanese businesses
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday invited the Japanese businesses to be the partner of Bangladesh’s development and achievements as it is moving towards a prosperous future.
“Bangladesh is moving forward to a prosperous future. We want you all to be partner of our development and achievements,” she said while inaugurating the Bangladesh Investment Summit at Hotel Westin here.
She invited all to come to Bangladesh and explore the potentials of business and investment opportunities.
“Do invest in Bangladesh. We are confident that your investment will bring you huge success,” she said.
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Nishimura Yasutoshi, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Chairman Ishiguro Norihiko and Chairman of Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) Ken Kobayashi also spoke at the programme.
Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) jointly organised the summit titled "Trade and Investment Opportunities between Bangladesh and Japan.
Hasina expressed her happiness to see collaboration between Bangladeshi and Japanese companies.
“We expect more investments from Japanese investors especially in the Japanese Economic Zone in Araihazar,” she said.
Also read: Will ensure a level playing field for better business in Bangladesh: PM Hasina tells Japanese businesspeople
She said the number of non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) and people of Bangladeshi origin living in Japan are gradually increasing and they provide significant support to Bangladesh's economic activities through their remittances.
“I also urge them to develop more entrepreneurship, engage in business initiatives and joint ventures with their Japanese friends,” she said.
PM Hasina said since Bangladesh is going to graduate from LDC status by 2026, it is working with Japan to make possible Economic Partnership Agreement to expand bilateral trade and investment.
She said that in Bangladesh’s ever-expanding economy, opportunities have increased considerably in different sectors such as ICT, electronics, infrastructure, leather, textile, hospitality and tourism, heavy industry, chemical and fertilizer, and in SMEs.
“Our government is doing everything it can to facilitate smooth, easy and efficient ways of doing business. We are building 100 economic zones, Hi-tech and software parks to offer them for foreign investment, "she told the gathering.
She assured the Japanese investors that Bangladesh is ready for them, and that they will have great experience once there.
“All required agencies and framework to facilitate your business has been setup for convenience," she said.
She said that during her successive terms in the government she has been uplifting the socio-economic condition of the people as per the government’s Vision 2021 and Vision 2041.
“Bangladesh, as a country, is now cited as a role model for development and sets example in many fields ranging from poverty reduction, empowerment of women, digitalisation, food production, and in addressing climate change challenges.”
She said the resilient people are now looking ahead with hope and optimism to emerge from LDC category to a developing country by 2026.
“We are determined in our journey towards a modern, developed and knowledge-based “Smart Bangladesh” by 2041,” she said.
She mentioned that Bangladesh is a country of 170 million people which is itself a growing market. Its location in the heart of a bigger market of nearly three billion consumers, provides a huge attraction for business expansion.
“With our pragmatic policies and Vision, Bangladesh is guaranteed to emerge as a regional hub for investment, industrialization and exports to diverse destinations in the region and beyond, " she observed.
Sheikh Hasina said returns on investment in Bangladesh have been consistently high. In addition, business friendly fiscal and non-fiscal policies and incentives, stable democracy, prudent governance and leadership guarantees your investment will return good value.
“We can confidently assure you that Bangladesh ensures a solid future for global investors. We thus welcome all investors from world over, and Japanese investors in particular to see the opportunities for investment in Bangladesh.”
She said that during the Covid-19 pandemic that has caused havoc worldwide, and severely impacted trade and investment, Bangladesh could tackle the crisis through effective measures and interventions.
“Our economy has shown strong resilience, maintained growth and is still sustaining the pressure from the volatile world financial situation and supply side constraints.”
The premier mentioned that Bangladesh has maintained her economic growth and achieved 7.1 per cent GDP growth rate in fiscal year 2021-2022.
“Despite the Ukraine War, we are projecting 6.5 percent growth rate during the current fiscal year," she said.
In the event, 11 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between private companies from Bangladesh and Japan that include JCCI and FBCCI were exchanged in presence of the Bangladesh prime minister.
Will ensure a level playing field for better business in Bangladesh: PM Hasina tells Japanese businesspeople
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged Japanese business leaders to come to Bangladesh for exploring the potentials of business and investment opportunities that are waiting for them.
“We shall keep on improving the business environment and ensure a level playing field for you all to do businesses in Bangladesh,” she said.
The prime minister made the appeal while interacting with the selected Japanese business leaders (CEOs) at Hotel Westin here.
She said that even under the duress of Covid-19 pandemic, the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Japan continued to grow significantly and crossed USD 4 billion milestone for the first-time during the Fiscal Year 2021-22.
“The number of Japanese companies operating in Bangladesh has gone up steadily in the last few years especially since 2014 when we entered into our ‘comprehensive partnership’, and Japan’s commitment under the Big-B initiative,” she said.
Hasina said she is sure that Japanese businesspeople are also following this increasing trend, and would be positively inclined to either expanding their existing businesses, or opening new ones in Bangladesh.
“I want to assure you that my government and all relevant agencies are keen to help you and our other friends from Japan in business endeavours in Bangladesh,” she said.
Seeing the exemplary outcome of the two countries’ bilateral relations in the last five decades, Bangladesh’s expectation is for a larger footprint of Japan in Bangladesh in the coming years, she said.
“We have already resolved a number of regulatory and policy issues raised by Japanese companies in Bangladesh,” she added.
In this connection, the Bangladesh premier said she herself took initiative to form the Bangladesh-Japan Joint Public-Private Economic Dialogue (PPED), and it held the 5th round of PPED on April 11 just before her arrival in Japan.
Also read: Bangladesh a role model for women's participation in UN peacekeeping: PM Hasina
She said Bangladesh has one of the most liberal foreign investment regimes in South Asia.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh is fast emerging as a highly lucrative location for investment in terms of competitive cost, abundant human resources, sizeable domestic consumer market with high purchasing power and growing middle class.
Moreover, she said Bangladesh is striving to be the economic hub of the region by way of improving access to regional and international markets.
“We are establishing economic zones, high-tech/software technology parks across the country. Bangladesh has been developing a planned infrastructure base to place itself as a hub of connectivity between South Asia and Southeast Asia,” she said.
“Our Embassy here in Tokyo is ready to cooperate and facilitate your ventures in Bangladesh." She said.
Top business leaders from Japan came up with future plans regarding investment in Bangladesh.