PM to seek Japan's help in major projects

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will seek greater Japanese assistance involving several billion dollars for major infrastructure projects like establishing new airport, bridges, roads and investment for economic development. 

Diplomatic sources said Hasina, who reached Japan yesterday to attend the G7 Outreach Meeting, would express her high expectation of further consideration of a range of specific projects during her meeting with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe tomorrow.

The projects include construction of Bangabandhu International Airport near the Padma Bridge aimed at establishing 21st century's connectivity in the Asia region, Dhaka-Mass Rapid Transit Development Project to remove traffic congestion in the capital, a dedicated railway bridge over the Jamuna river in parallel with Bangabandhu Bridge and ecological restoration of four rivers around Dhaka.

Moreover, the Bangladeshi premier will apprise her Japanese counterpart of dedicating a special economic zone (SEZ) and necessary measures to facilitate accelerated realisation of the Japanese investments in Bangladesh. 

She will express her expectation for the enhancement of Japanese companies' greater presence in Bangladesh at the SEZ.

Foreign ministry officials said Hasina would hold bilateral talks with Abe at Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel at 10:00am tomorrow.

This is Hasina's fourth visit to Japan as the prime minister and the second during her current term as the premier.

Diplomatic sources said Hasina would also ask her counterpart to extend the Matarbari power project with additional capacity for generation of electricity from the present 1320MW.

She will apprise Abe of the progress of trial in the killing of Japanese national Kunio Hoshi, who was shot dead by assailants in Rangpur on October 3, 2015.

Hasina will also reiterate her government's zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and extremism and the government's strong stance on bringing the perpetrators to justice.