Bangladesh has sought Japan’s support to transform forest resource centers into nature learning hubs, modernize eco-friendly furniture production, and strengthen digital forest monitoring to curb illegal logging.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, placed the proposals during a high-level meeting with a delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), led by its Executive Senior Vice President Miyazaki Katsura, held Thursday at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
During the meeting, Rizwana Hasan called for JICA’s assistance in transforming forest resource centers into interactive learning spaces to connect urban youth with biodiversity. She also proposed upgrading the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC) to produce eco-friendly furniture and explore new markets.
Additional proposals included enhancing the standards of safari parks to meet international benchmarks and introducing advanced digital forest surveillance systems to tackle illegal logging and deforestation.
The meeting centered around strengthening bilateral cooperation on climate change adaptation, forest management, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development.
Rizwana Hasan emphasized Bangladesh’s commitment to renewable energy, highlighting government efforts to solarize public buildings and the implementation of rooftop solar panels as per judicial directives. She also raised concerns over the environmental and human rights impacts of the ship-breaking industry, urging Japan to promote transparency and accountability in future engagements.
Expressing gratitude for Japan’s long-standing support, she lauded JICA’s track record of timely project completion, efficient budgeting, and public trust—particularly citing the successful second phase of the Matarbari power project.
JICA Vice President Miyazaki Katsura praised Bangladesh’s independent development strides and reaffirmed JICA’s alignment with global goals such as “Zero Poverty” and “Zero Unemployment,” along with commitments under the Paris Agreement. She also outlined four key areas of support: data-driven planning, knowledge-sharing, energy transition, and private sector financing.
Katsura highlighted JICA’s ongoing initiatives, including the Clean Dhaka program, and welcomed proposals such as the creation of a wildlife conservation trust and streamlining international climate financing through the new Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership platform.
Among others, the meeting was attended by Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment; Additional Secretaries Mohammad Navid Shafiullah and Md Khayrul Hasan; Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury; and JICA officials Yamada Tetsuya, Ichiguchi Tomohide, and Miura Mari.