Two Prime Ministers Pledge to Strengthen Bangladesh-Japan Partnership

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have reaffirmed their strong commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two countries in trade, infrastructure, deep-sea ports, and foreign investment.

They made the remarks at a joint press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday (October 27), following their meeting at the Japanese prime minister’s office. The meeting began at 11:45 am local time. Earlier, at 11:30 am, Ms. Takaichi welcomed PM Tarique Rahman at her office, where he was accorded a guard of honour. The two leaders held summit talks after the ceremony.

PM Tarique Rahman said Japan holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Bangladesh. “Our friendship is founded on mutual respect, trust, and a shared vision of peace, prosperity, and stability. As a peace-loving nation, Japan was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh after our independence in 1971,” he said.

He said Japan had been one of Bangladesh’s most valuable development partners for more than five decades, making significant contributions to the country’s socioeconomic progress and infrastructure development. “We deeply appreciate this enduring friendship,” he added.

The prime minister said he and Ms. Takaichi had held productive discussions on bilateral, regional, and international issues. “Reaffirming our longstanding friendship, we have expressed our strong commitment to further strengthening our partnership in energy, ICT, trade, infrastructure, deep-sea ports, and foreign investment,” he said.

Mr. Rahman said the two countries had taken concrete steps during his visit to strengthen bilateral relations and signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in key areas. He added that a joint statement outlined the outcomes and priorities of their discussions.

“The partnership between Bangladesh and Japan has been built on decades of friendship. Today, we have an opportunity to take this relationship to new heights,” he said. He warmly invited Japanese investors, businesses, and financial institutions to explore the opportunities Bangladesh offers and become partners in the country’s next phase of growth.

“We are committed to working with our Japanese partners to unlock productive investment, technology transfer, job creation, and other mutually beneficial business opportunities,” he said. Mr. Rahman said the two countries could build a more resilient and prosperous future together.

“Our ambition is clear—to transform the friendship between our two countries into a powerful engine of economic opportunity and partnership. Let us build a partnership that serves our people today and creates a lasting legacy for generations to come,” he said.

Bangladesh-Japan Ties Elevated to Strategic Partnership

The two prime ministers also jointly announced plans to strengthen cooperation in ensuring peace and security in both countries, with the aim of taking bilateral relations to a higher level. The meeting resulted in a historic decision to elevate Bangladesh-Japan relations to the level of a strategic partnership.

Ms. Takaichi said relations between the two countries had grown stronger over the past 50 years. Describing Japan as a trusted, long-term partner of Bangladesh, she said Japan had consistently played an important role in the country’s economic growth.

The Japanese prime minister expressed hope that the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership would open a new chapter in relations between the two countries.