Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, is set to depart for a four-day visit to Japan tonight. During this trip, several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Exchange of Notes are expected to be signed between the two countries. Bangladesh will also seek a US$1 billion budget support from Japan.
Key Details of the Visit
Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique announced these details at a press conference organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, May 26. He stated that Dr. Yunus will leave Dhaka tonight, May 27, for Tokyo.
Siddique highlighted that seven MoUs are slated for signing during the Chief Adviser's visit to Japan. These include:
- A loan agreement with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for the installation of pre-paid gas meters.
- Two separate land-related MoUs for Bangladesh Special Economic Zones (SEZs) with Onoda Cement and Naxsys.
- An MoU with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) for establishing battery and bicycle factories.
- An MoU with JICA for implementing OSS technology in BIDA.
- Two separate MoUs with the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) concerning human resource development, focusing on skill and language enhancement.
The Acting Foreign Secretary also expressed expectations for the signing of Exchange of Notes related to budget support and the upgrade of the Joydebpur-Ishwardi railway line to a dual-gauge double line.
Meetings and Forums
During his trip, Dr. Yunus is scheduled to attend the Nikkei Forum's "Future of Asia" conference. He will also hold a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on May 30. The Chief Adviser is expected to return to Dhaka on May 31.
Previous International Engagements
This visit marks another in a series of international engagements for Dr. Muhammad Yunus since assuming office on August 8 last year. He attended the UN General Assembly in New York last September, followed by the COP-29 conference in Azerbaijan in November. In December, Dr. Yunus visited Egypt for the D-8 conference. This year, he participated in the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos in January, visited China in March, and traveled to Thailand in April. Most recently, the Chief Adviser attended Pope Francis's funeral in Qatar and Vatican City.
