Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir held a meeting with Kazuiki Kataoka, country representative of the Japan External Trade Organization, on Thursday to discuss ways to expand bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation.
The meeting, held at the Secretariat in Dhaka, focused on strengthening economic ties and exploring new opportunities for Japanese investment in Bangladesh, according to a release.
During the talks, the commerce minister highlighted Bangladesh’s growing investment potential, pointing to opportunities in special economic zones, infrastructure development, industrialisation and export diversification.
He said the country’s steady economic growth, skilled workforce and investor-friendly policies have created a favourable environment for foreign investors, and called for increased Japanese participation in key sectors.
Muktadir described the proposed Japan-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) as a “milestone” for boosting bilateral trade and investment.
He said the agreement would not only deepen economic engagement between the two countries but also serve as a reference for Bangladesh in negotiating similar agreements with other partners.
Kataoka said Bangladesh’s investment climate has improved in recent times and noted that the EPA agreement would further enhance trade prospects and investor confidence.
He added that many Japanese companies have already shown interest in investing in Bangladesh, which could contribute to job creation and infrastructure development.
He also pointed to existing Japanese involvement in major infrastructure projects, including the expansion of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and the Dhaka Metro Rail, as evidence of deepening economic cooperation between the two countries.
Kataoka said the Japan External Trade Organization would continue to support efforts to strengthen business ties and promote Bangladeshi products in the Japanese market.
Both sides expressed optimism about the future of Bangladesh-Japan relations and reaffirmed their commitment to working together to further enhance trade, investment and broader economic cooperation.