Bangladesh, Japan relationship grows

Mohammad Amjad Hossain :
The cordial relation that exists between the people of Japan and the people of Bangladesh dates back to the days when Subash Chandra Bose, a radical Bengali nationalist organized the Indian People’s army to fight against the British imperialist. From Mymensingh advocate late Monem khan had joined Azad Hind forces of Subas Chandra Bose. Japan in fact extended full support to the movement. As a matter of fact, Japan occupied northern Indo-China in an attempt to block access to supplies for the Chinese nationalist in 1941.historically Japan was ambitious until 1942. From December 1941 to mid-1942 the Japanese army with aid from Thai Phayap army and Burmese insurgents had driven British and Chinese forces from Burma and occupied Burma and formed a nominally Independent Burmese independent government headed by Aung san who was a nationalist and military personnel who is considered the founder of modern Burma. Japan in fact was instrumental for training Burmese army which known as Tatmadaw.
In the Second World War Japan was defeated because of the policy adopted by Imperialist Japan to drop nuclear bombs in New Mexico when US President Harry S. Truman ordered to destroy Japan. Incidentally, United States had dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and second atomic bomb on Nagasaki which had caused devastating effect in Japan and Japanese Emperor Hirohito ordered to surrender to allied forces led by United States, the United Kingdom and Japan on 15 August in 1945.That ended hostilities in South East Asia.
In the Far East, Japan is an oriental country with whom Bangladesh has no area of conflict. Both countries have ties of friendship and affinity of culture. Bengal was once one of the richest countries and today it is admittedly one of the poorest countries, while Japan, a small Island Empire, isolated from the world until a century ago is now one of the world’s greatest powers in the field of industry and agriculture. Today Japan’s economic growth is considered as miracle. Japan, which was reduced to rubble as a result of Second World War has surpassed West Germany in quarter of a century’s time and stood second economic power, next only to USA. Presently Japan’s economy stands as third after the USA and China. GDP stands at 40,365 million.
Bangladesh relation with Japan in fact has started developing since Sheikh Mujibur Rahman accompanied by 40 members including his daughter sheikh Rehana and his son Sheikh Russel from 18 to 24 October in 1973. The People of Bangladesh in fact are fond of Japanese cars, radio and Television etc. The people of Japan’s extreme fund of good will for the people of Bangladesh had been amply demonstrated when primary school students, children, diet members, university teachers, women’s organizations and newspapers contributed generously for the cyclone victims in 1970 while the government of Pakistan had practically shown negligence.
Since independence of Bangladesh Japan has come forward to help Bangladesh in overcoming the shortage of cloth while Japan donated 169 million yards of cloth while Japan came forward for improvement of agriculture. In the communication sector too, Japan has come forward to build a bridge over the River Jamuna. In the recent past japan had contributed immensely in building up infrastructure of the economy in Bangladesh the technical assistance and aid from Japan two fertilizer factories — one in Sylhet and Ghorashal, Steel mill in Chittagong and Rayon mill at Chittagong Hill tracts were established during Pakistan period.
Japan is possibly single country in far East has contributed construction of more than 600 bridges including the bridges over Jamuna, Paksey, Gumti and Meghna rivers including construction of upgrading of more than 5,104 kilometers of the three mass rapid transit projects which is now under implementation while 2,370 Megawatts of electricity in Northern part of Bangladesh yet to be completed by Japan. As a matter of fact, Japan has generously donated through official Development assistance to Bangladesh $ 2472 billion as of now.
Bangladesh’s largest export destination is Japan. In the last decade Bangladesh’s exports to Japan have almost doubled including garment and leather goods. As a matter of fact, Japan has generously come forward to contribute for the construction of two more floors of the biggest children organization of Kachi-kanchermela in Segunbagicha. I have developed a relationship with Mr. Sigeharu Maruyama from Bonn, Germany who suggested applying to the Japanese embassy for the construction of two more floors and the Japanese government had sanctioned a little over $ 84 thousand dollars for the construction of two more floors.

(Mohammad Amjad Hossain, retired Diplomat from Bangladesh, former joint -Director of Central Kochi-Kanchar Mela and former President of Nova Toastmaster International Club of America, writes from Falls Church, Virginia).