PM Tarique off to Japan on four-day state visit
Tarique Rahman Begins Four-Day Japan Visit Focused on Trade, Investment and Cooperation
Bdbusinessdaily.com – Prime Minister Tarique Rahman departed Dhaka early Monday, 26 October, for a four-day state visit to Japan that is expected to place economic partnership, investment opportunities and long-term development cooperation at the centre of discussions.
The visit comes at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and reflects efforts by both countries to widen engagement across trade, industry, infrastructure, skills development and energy-related cooperation. Tarique Rahman is accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and a 15-member high-level delegation.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines commercial flight carrying the prime minister’s delegation left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 12:15am. The aircraft is due to arrive at Narita International Airport in Tokyo at 9:25am local time.
“Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is going to Japan on a state visit. He is travelling on a commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines,” said Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Prime Minister’s Political Adviser and BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni and Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani were present at the airport’s VIP lounge to see off the prime minister and Dr Zubaida Rahman.
Economic links and investment discussions
The planned programme includes meetings with Japanese political, business and development representatives. Tarique Rahman is expected to engage with the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League as well as the chairman of the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation.
Further discussions are scheduled with leading Japanese institutions that have important roles in overseas investment, trade promotion and development financing. These include the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the president of the Japan External Trade Organization and the chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
For Bangladesh, these meetings provide an opportunity to highlight the country’s interest in attracting factories, generating jobs and improving the skills of its workforce. Japanese support for industrial projects and human resource development is expected to feature prominently in the talks, in line with the prime minister’s stated priorities.
The agenda also underlines the broad character of Bangladesh-Japan relations. Investment discussions are not limited to capital flows; they also involve technology, training, market access and the ability of local workers and businesses to participate in new industrial activity. Closer engagement with Japanese trade and financing bodies could help shape future cooperation in these areas.
Factory and energy visits on the itinerary
The prime minister’s tentative itinerary includes visits to an LNG terminal and a power plant in Futtsu City in Chiba. These visits are expected to offer a closer look at Japanese energy facilities at a time when energy security remains a major issue for Bangladesh and the wider region.
Energy cooperation is among the issues expected to be discussed during the visit. Bangladesh and Japan are also set to exchange views on efforts to address the energy crisis, an issue that has implications for industry, household demand and economic growth.
Other proposed visits include the headquarters of UNIQLO and a Toyota factory in Nagoya. The planned stops point to interest in learning from major Japanese companies with global production networks and established manufacturing systems. Such engagements can help inform conversations on industrial investment, employment creation and workforce development in Bangladesh.
MoUs under discussion
Officials from the two countries have been working on draft memoranda of understanding and other cooperation arrangements covering a range of sectors. Agriculture, fisheries, civil aviation, trade, environmental protection, local government modernisation, skills enhancement and human resource development are among the areas being considered.
“We hope that many of these MoUs will be signed during the visit,” the foreign secretary said.
About eight memoranda of understanding are being discussed, with three or four potentially ready for signing during the trip. Separate agreements linked to education and human resource development are also being pursued.
Any agreements reached during the visit would provide a framework for future cooperation rather than an immediate guarantee of completed projects. Their practical value will depend on follow-up work by the relevant ministries, institutions and private-sector participants. Even so, agreements in skills training, education and local government modernisation could strengthen the institutional links needed to support broader economic cooperation.
Agriculture and fisheries are also significant parts of the proposed agenda. Cooperation in these fields can involve training, production methods, supply systems and the development of technical capacity. Environmental conservation has likewise been included in the discussions, reflecting the importance of balancing development ambitions with sustainable management of natural resources.
Regional peace and the Rohingya issue
Beyond economic matters, the two sides are expected to discuss regional and global peace and stability. The agenda includes a sustainable and peaceful resolution of the Rohingya crisis, as well as international efforts to bring conflicts to an end.
Bangladesh has continued to carry the burden of hosting large numbers of Rohingya refugees, making international cooperation an important part of its diplomatic engagement. Talks with Japan may provide an opportunity to reinforce the need for a lasting solution that addresses stability, humanitarian concerns and safe conditions for a sustainable outcome.
The visit follows an online meeting attended by Tarique Rahman in April at the invitation of the Japanese prime minister. During that meeting, Bangladesh welcomed a Japan-led initiative aimed at tackling energy challenges across Asia.
With meetings spanning government, development institutions, trade organisations and major companies, the Japan trip is designed to advance a practical agenda. The outcome will be measured not only by the number of documents signed, but by whether the discussions lead to investment, employment opportunities, stronger skills development and deeper cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan in the years ahead.
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