During the official visit of Prime Minister of Bangladesh to Japan from 25th to 28th May, the two countries signed a joint statement to seal Japan’s pledge to extend up to ¥600 billion in economic assistance to Bangladesh over the next four to five years. This assistance will be used to promote the concept of the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B). To further consolidate existing bilateral relations, Japan emphasized on increasing foreign direct investment to Bangladesh. Along with public sectors, private entrepreneurs from Japan express their sincere intent with Bangladeshi delegates to invest in different progress.

Prime ministers of the two friendly countries signed the ‘Japan-Bangladesh Comprehensive Partnership’ framework, which include collaboration in future infrastructural projects like construction of Ganges Barrage, multi-modal tunnel under river Jamuna, dedicated Railway Bridge over river Jamuna, multi-modal Dhaka Eastern Bypass, ecological restoration of four rivers around Dhaka. This framework will also make provision for cooperation in areas like cultural and educational exchange, scientific innovations and technology transfer.

In an interactive session with students of Waseda University, Tokyo, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina praised the role of Japan for sending young volunteers to Bangladesh over the last forty years. Recalling her fond memories of an earlier visit to the same university many years back, the Bangladesh premier expressed hope that the educated members of the new generation would be able to make the world a safer and secure place.

Government of Bangladesh government has awarded the contract for the construction of 6.5km long Padma Bridge to a reputed Chinese company named China Major Bridge Engineering Company Ltd. The firm has been involved in some of the largest civil construction projects in Asia including the 36 km Hangzhou Bay Bridge, the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world. Construction work on the project has already begun and is expected to be completed by 2018. The bridge, being built by own resources, once complete, will connect 21 districts in the country’s southern regions to capital Dhaka. It will help increase the GDP growth by 1.2% apart from immensely facilitating nationwide trade and commerce.

To further strengthen cultural ties between Bangladesh and China, representatives of both of the countries have signed a deal named ‘Cultural Exchange Program (CEP)’. According to the deal, both of the governments will encourage more cultural exchange and cooperation between them in the coming years.

After being sworn in as India’s new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi met with the leader of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), including Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, and articulated the enhanced role he wants to see SAARC play in strengthening regional cooperation. He assured the Bangladesh Speaker that India would actively consider implementing the Teesta and land boundary agreements with Bangladesh.

World Health Organization (WHO) has unanimously adopted the resolution on autism proposed by Bangladesh. Delegations from 194 countries joined in the conference including Bangladesh’s Health Minister Mohammad Nasim. Saima Wazed Hossain, a US-licensed school psychologist and the daughter of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh has been actively campaigning on this issue for years and played a key role in making the agenda one of national importance in Bangladesh and abroad.

Bangladesh government signed a $120 million agreement with USDKGEL -a joint venture among US, Denmark and Bangladeshi companies- to build a 60-megawatt wind power plant. The power plant will be built in 12 months and USDKGEL will arrange the total project cost. Bangladesh has strong potential to develop wind power and meet the growing demand for green energy. The country’s 700km long coastline provides good prospects to develop offshore wind energy.