Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said Japan is the ideal example for us and the entire world. Our communities will sustain and develop with JICA and Japan’s support. Japan is our time-tested friend, and we hope our cooperation will help the country attain all the goals.
The Minister was addressing an event, organised by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Monday marking the 50th anniversary of its cooperation with Bangladesh at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka, according to a press release.
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh IWAMA Kiminori, high-level government officials, heads of agencies, and development partners were also present in the ceremony.
Japan is Bangladesh's largest bilateral development partner, and the partnership through JICA has evolved and strengthened over the past five decades.
JICA-supported landmark projects include the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative inclusive of Matarbari deep sea port, Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Projects for three Dhaka metro lines, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Expansion Project, 2nd Kanchpur, Meghna, and Gumti Bridges Construction Project, the Project for Bangladesh Special Economic Zone in Araihazar, and Bridges Rehabilitation and Constructions Projects.
JICA’s cooperation, during the 50 years, has also covered education, health, agriculture and rural development, governance improvement, private sector development, disaster risk reduction, water supply and sanitation, solid waste management, and power and energy.
JICA provided JPY 3,285 billion (approximately US$22 billion) for official development assistance (ODA) loan till now, JPY 144 billion (approximately US$965 million) for grant aid until 2022, JPY 104 billion (about US$699 million) for technical cooperation till 2022, and JPY 25 billion (approximately US$166 million) for private sector investment finance until now (in loan and equity).
The agency has also provided training and education opportunities to over 14,000 public servants and deployed 1,286 Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers.
ICHIGUCHI Tomohide, Chief Representative of JICA, emphasised the friendship between Japan and Bangladesh, and said, "Throughout 50-year journey, JICA has cooperated to many different areas and sectors through technical cooperation, concessional loans, grant aid, volunteers, and other schemes as a trusted friend with Bangladesh".
ITO Teruyuki, Director General of the South Asia Division at JICA Headquarters, outlined some of the major JICA-supported projects in Bangladesh.
He said, "JICA has provided a cumulative total of more than 3 trillion Japanese yen, equivalent to more than 20 billion US dollars. Now, Bangladesh become one of the top three loan recipient counties in the world in our portfolio."
Sharifa Khan, Senior Secretary of Economics Relations Division made further remarks: “Within the last 50 years, Japan’s cooperation has spread to every corner of Bangladesh. Japan has a presence in all 15 sectors of the country. Japan is now the highest bilateral development partner of Bangladesh.”
