Japanese envoy sees BD's bright future

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi has pledged to work closely with Bangladesh to further enhance the strong bilateral relations between the two nations, promising to elevate the existing excellent ties to even a greater height.

Bangladesh now has a precious opportunity to seize towards a brighter future, he said, adding that the road to a new nation-building will not necessarily be a smooth one.

"The relationship between Japan and Bangladesh is firmly bound together by trust and friendship. I would like to ask for your kind understanding and cooperation in this endeavor," the Ambassador said in a message shared on Wednesday marking his recent assumption of office.

Ensuring the safety of Japanese nationals is of utmost importance to all Japanese diplomatic missions abroad, said the Ambassador.

Taking the tragedy of the 2016 Dhaka terrorist attacks to heart, the envoy said, he will carry out his duties at the vanguard of the Embassy’s efforts for the safety and security of Japanese nationals residing in Bangladesh.

Known as the “Golden Bengal” boasting a rich culture and nature, Ambassador Saida Shinichi said Bangladesh is a beautiful country filled with the warmth of its people’s hearts.

Located in a zone of strategic importance facing the Bay of Bengal and connecting the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, he said Bangladesh plays a pivotal role in regional development. "I am deeply honored to be able serve as Ambassador to this country," said the envoy.

For more than half a century since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Bangladesh in 1972, Saida Shinichi said Japan has been nurturing friendly relations with Bangladesh. Especially recent years have witnessed the bilateral relations realising remarkable progress in a wide range of areas under the “Strategic Partnership”.

First, the envoy said, the deepening of economic relations: In the field of development cooperation, Japan, as the largest bilateral development partner of Bangladesh, has been developing infrastructure such as the Dhaka Metro, while at the same time steadily building up cooperation in the social development areas such as health and education.

On the business front, he said, as many Japanese companies continue to expand in Bangladesh, efforts are being made to improve the trade and investment environment through public-private partnerships.

In addition, Saida Shinichi said, in view of Bangladesh’s graduation from the LDC status in 2026, both Governments are vigorously pursuing negotiations to conclude an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

Second, the strengthening of political and security cooperation: Various exchange and cooperation programs are actively underway between the two countries, including port calls by naval vessels and exchanges between military units.

Besides, under the vision of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)”, the Japanese Government has selected Bangladesh as one of the first beneficiary countries of a new cooperation framework, “Official Security Assistance (OSA)”. Patrol boats will be provided to the Bangladesh Navy under this framework.

Third, there has been notable progress in people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries, whether in business, study abroad or culture.

The Japanese language and culture are attracting growing interest in this country, with many young Bangladeshis seeking opportunities to study or work in Japan.

The development of such a friendly cooperative relationship is a significant achievement of the steadfast efforts by many people in both countries, including those in the private sector and at the grassroots level.

"For my part, I would like to further advance the bilateral relations while cherishing the strong ties that unite the people of the two countries," said Saida Shinichi.

The political uprising that took place in this country last summer has led to the formation of an interim government led by Dr Yunus, the Chief Adviser, said the envoy.

"A number of challenges may lie ahead. All the more, respectful of ownership of the interim government led by Chief Adviser Yunus, Japan will firmly stand by them to support their reform efforts and will actively cooperate with them to ensure that Bangladesh achieves a democratic political transition through free and fair elections, thereby making strides on a path toward stable development," said the Ambassador.

"With this policy in mind, I will earnestly fulfill my duties as Ambassador of Japan at this historic juncture," he said.