Staff Reporter :
Chief Adviser to the Interim Government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, returned to Dhaka on Saturday evening following a four-day official visit to Japan, which marked significant progress in diplomatic engagement, economic cooperation, and labour development.
“A Singapore Airlines flight carrying the Chief Adviser and his delegation departed Narita International Airport for Dhaka via Singapore at approximately 11:20 am (Tokyo time),” said Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser. Prof Yunus is expected to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 10:40 pm.
During the visit, Prof Yunus participated in nearly 20 high-level engagements, including a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Nobuteru Ishiba.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to concluding an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in the near future to bolster trade and investment between the two nations.
Japan pledged financial assistance totalling USD 1.063 billion, encompassing a Development Policy Loan aimed at fostering economic reform and climate resilience, a loan for the Joydebpur-Ishwardi dual-gauge double-lane railway project, and a grant for a human development scholarship.
These agreements were formalised through the signing of three exchange of notes between Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Md Daud Ali and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Shinichi Saida, witnessed by Prof Yunus.
At the Bangladesh Business Seminar, six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed to enhance bilateral trade, investment, and broader economic cooperation.
In a notable development, two additional MoUs were signed on Thursday to strengthen skills training and employment pathways for Bangladeshi workers in Japan.
Speaking at a human resources seminar hosted by the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo, Japanese officials and industry representatives announced plans to recruit at least 100,000 Bangladeshi workers over the next five years to help address Japan’s labour shortage.
Prof Yunus also delivered a keynote address at the prestigious 30th Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia. On the sidelines, he held talks with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, seeking his support for Bangladesh’s aspiration to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In recognition of his global contributions to social innovation and development, Soka University conferred upon Prof Yunus an Honorary Doctorate Degree. This accolade adds to his earlier recognition, the Nikkei Asia Prize, awarded in 2004.
During a community reception at the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo, Prof Yunus expressed appreciation for the contributions of the Bangladeshi diaspora.
“It is the expatriates who help sustain the country by sending their remittances during difficult times,” he stated.
He noted that the support of overseas Bangladeshis was instrumental in stabilising the economy after the departure of the previous government, which had left public finances and the banking sector in disarray.
While reaffirming the interim government’s commitment to its responsibilities, he urged expatriates to engage more actively in national development.
“As citizens, you must take responsibility for the repair of the state,” he said, encouraging increased investment in Bangladesh and greater advocacy with Japanese institutions. “You should enhance your influence on the Japanese government,” he added.
The visit concluded with a dinner hosted in his honour by the Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan, capping a successful diplomatic mission that reinforced bilateral relations and highlighted the crucial role of the Bangladeshi diaspora in the country’s ongoing development.
