Photo: Collected
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tokyo's official development organisation, on Monday (6 November) marked its 50th anniversary of its cooperation with Bangladesh, a partnership that has contributed to shaping the country's development landscape.
JICA organised a celebratory event at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka to mark the occasion, according to a press release.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh IWAMA Kiminori, among other dignitaries, attended the event.
High-level government officials, heads of agencies, and development partners were also present at the ceremony, it said.
Japan is Bangladesh's largest bilateral development partner, and the partnership through JICA has evolved and strengthened over the past five decades.
Appreciating Japan's support for Bangladesh, 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."
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. JICA has always focused on capacity development of the government officials, inclusive development, livelihood improvement, and infrastructure with the aim of contributing to social and economic development of Bangladesh and strengthening friendship between Bangladesh and Japan."
Sharifa Khan, senior secretary of the 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. JICA has been very cooperative and open to new initiatives for the development of the country. Thus, I want to convey my gratitude to the Japanese government for all the support over the last 50 years."
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 Construction Projects. JICA's cooperation over the past 50 years has also covered education, health, agriculture, rural development, governance improvement, private sector development, disaster risk reduction, water supply and sanitation, solid waste management, and power and energy.
The 50th anniversary of JICA in Bangladesh is a reaffirmation of the enduring commitment to a brighter future for the people of Bangladesh, signifies the strength of a long partnership, and promises to continue supporting the nation's development in the years to come, the release also said.
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