Japanese Prime Minister Tarique Rahman met Kazuhiko Amakawa, governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), on Wednesday to discuss strengthening investment and economic cooperation in Bangladesh, including the possibility of opening a JBIC office in Dhaka.
The meeting took place at 9:30 am local time in Japan on October 28. Discussions focused on investment and cooperation in Bangladesh’s energy, information and communications technology (ICT), and infrastructure sectors.
During the meeting, Tarique Rahman expressed gratitude to JBIC for its contributions to Bangladesh’s economic development and its support for investment and cooperation across various sectors.
The prime minister said the government had initiated reforms to simplify regulations and improve the business environment to attract domestic and foreign investment.
“We have taken initiatives to reform and simplify various regulations to ensure a business-friendly environment and attract domestic and foreign investment,” he said, adding that his government was committed to developing investment-friendly policies and improving the business climate.
Rahman also said JBIC’s priority projects were aligned with the development priorities of Bangladesh’s current government.
During the discussion, the Bangladeshi side requested that JBIC open an office in the country. In response, Governor Amakawa said he would give the proposal serious consideration.
The Bangladesh delegation included Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury; Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir; State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humayun Kabir; Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Chairman Ashik Chowdhury; Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostakur Rahman; Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Dr Shakirul Islam Khan; and Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atikur Rahman Ruman, among others.
