Japan to provide $28.7m for 2 projects

Staff Reporter :
Japan is providing grant support of USD 28.7 million or nearly Tk 304 crore to Bangladesh to enhance equipment facilities for technical education and improving governance.
Out of the amount, Japan will provide Japanese Yen (JPY) 997 million which equivalent to approximately USD 7.7 million or nearly Tk 81 crore for the project titled ‘Project for Improvement of Equipment for Technical Education’ as a grant.
Simultaneously, an additional grant for the costs of the development of Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management (BIGM), Bangladesh will receive JPY 2762 million which about USD 21 million or Tk 223 crore.
The grant agreements in this regard were signed on Monday between the two governments at a function at Economic Relations Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance.
Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, Iwama Kiminori, and ERD, Secretary, Sharifa Khan, signed the documents representing the respective governments.
The ambassador said “It gives me pleasure to sign both of these 2 projects, which are important supports for Bangladesh to develop world-class human resources.”
Using the grant to upgrade equipment facilities for technical education , training equipment in the field of electrical, electronic, mechanical and computer will be provided to Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, Dhaka Mohila Polytechnic Institute, and Technical Teachers Training College.
The project aiming to enhance human resource development with a scientific and mathematical background and engineering skills, with a view to shifting the industrial structure in order to ensure competitiveness in the international market.
The additional grant for BIGM is to construct new facilities and to procure equipment for the training of senior administrative officials and for policy research at BIGM, for which additional cost is incurred due to the price escalation affected by difficult global conditions.
BIGM is a higher education and research institute, and offers Master’s programs in the public sector to people from diverse backgrounds, including the private sector as well as the public officials.
Meanwhile, Japan is the single largest bilateral development partner of Bangladesh, maintaining a friendly relationship since February 10, 1972, through economic and technical cooperation, cultural exchanges.