JICA chief completes tour of Bangladesh, reaffirms commitment to sustainable and inclusive development

President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Tanaka Akihiko has concluded a five-day official visit to Bangladesh, reaffirming the enduring Japan-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership and JICA's commitment to supporting the country's sustainable and inclusive development.

During his July 1-5 visit, Tanaka attended the 10th memorial ceremony honouring the seven Japanese nationals killed in the 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery terrorist attack, paying tribute to the victims and reaffirming the shared commitment of Japan and Bangladesh to peace, resilience and cooperation.

Tanaka also held a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, during which both sides reaffirmed the strength of bilateral ties and discussed ongoing and future areas of cooperation.

According to JICA, the discussions focused on major Japanese-supported development projects, including the Dhaka Metro Rail, the expansion of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative (MIDI) and the Bangladesh Special Economic Zone (BSEZ).

They also highlighted the significance of Japan's emergency support package of JPY 50 billion under the POWERR Asia initiative to strengthen regional energy security.

Throughout the visit, Tanaka met senior members of the Bangladesh government, including Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, and Roads, Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, who also oversees the shipping and railways portfolios.

The meetings reaffirmed shared priorities in infrastructure, industrial development, capacity building and regional connectivity, JICA said.

As part of his visit, Tanaka toured several major projects supported by JICA and the Government of Japan.

On July 1, he visited Terminal 3 of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, one of Bangladesh's flagship infrastructure projects financed through JICA's concessional loans. Once operational, the terminal is expected to significantly improve passenger services while boosting trade, tourism and investment.

On July 3, he visited key sites under the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative, including the power plant and deep seaport, which are expected to strengthen Bangladesh's energy security and trade connectivity. JICA said the projects also align with Japan's vision for an updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

During a visit to Cox's Bazar on July 4, Tanaka observed humanitarian operations in the Rohingya camps, visiting a World Food Programme (WFP) e-voucher outlet, a UNHCR vocational training centre, an International Organization for Migration (IOM) clinic and JICA-supported livelihood initiatives. He also met the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) to discuss the humanitarian situation and ongoing assistance.

The same day, he visited the construction site of the Fish Landing Centre in Cox's Bazar, being built with JICA grant assistance to improve post-harvest handling and quality management. He also toured the Fisheries Livelihood Enhancement Project along the Bay of Bengal coast, where JICA is supporting seafood processing technologies, alternative income-generating activities and nutrition awareness programmes.

On the final day of his visit, Tanaka visited a JICA-supported solid waste management initiative and observed the Japanese private-sector technological solution, J-Drum, being introduced for Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), highlighting JICA's broad-based development cooperation in Bangladesh.

Concluding the visit, Tanaka reaffirmed JICA's long-term commitment to Bangladesh's development.

"Our partnership with Bangladesh is very strong. We would like to continue this course in the years ahead," he said.