A joint Bangladesh-Japan public–private economic dialogue will be held in Dhaka on August 21 to encourage Japanese investment in the potential sectors of the country and deepen the bilateral trade relations, a high official at the Prime Minister’s Office said. The forthcoming dialogue on business, investment and economy is the first of its kind to be held between the two countries after the prime ministers of Bangladesh and Japan in a joint statement in late May had agreed to form the joint platform to enhance bilateral investment.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina visited Japan from May 25 to May 28, this year.
Ahead of the dialogue, Japan has sent a draft agenda to the PMO highlighting their interests in investment, a senior bureaucrat said.
Issues like development of industrial sites, location of special economic zones and follow-up of the memorandum of understanding signed between JETRO and BEPZA during the visit of Hasina to Japan have been included in the agenda.
‘Investing in the proposed special economic zones is the main attraction from the Japanese investors as they want ready infrastructure,’ a senior bureaucrat at the PMO told New Age.
The official said before the dialogue takes place next month, the government would be able to select two SEZs for the Japanese investors among seven proposed sites for such economic zones.
The dialogue will be held at the PMO. The composition of Japanese delegation is yet to be known, said another official at the PMO.
Ahead of the dialogue, Prime Minister’s Office formed a nine member secretary-level committee headed by the senior secretary of the PMO. The committee, as per a notification issued from the PMO, will work to improve the investment environment to lure Japanese investors, identify business areas for large investment proposals from the Asian giant economy and initiate process to develop local infrastructure.
Finance ministry officials said Japanese were keen to invest in the special economic zone and in the areas like shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals and electronic products.
Meanwhile, the PMO has asked Bangladesh economic zones authorities to identify at least two sites to be developed as special economic zones for Japanese investment, sources said.
During Hasina’s visit, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe promised to provide economic assistance worth $5.9 billion to Bangladesh over the next four to five years.
Of the promised aid, Tokyo signed five loan agreements for around $1.20 billion in May with Dhaka to finance the country’s five large projects with Japanese low-cost fund.
-With New Age input
