Faruk offers Tokyo businessmen to initiate talks for exclusive economic zone

Commerce Minister Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan has offered Japanese business leaders to initiate talks for setting up an 'exclusive economic zone' in Bangladesh for Japanese investors for giving a further boost to Dhaka-Tokyo trade.

"I offer Japanese businessmen to initiate talks for setting up an exclusive economic zone for Japanese investors alone, if Japan-Bangladesh Joint Committee on Commercial and Economic Cooperation (JBCCEC) approached to our government the same," Khan said when he met JBCCEC president Akamatsu on Monday.

Commerce Minister Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan

The commerce minister left here for Tokyo on an official visit at the invitation of the government of Japan on Sunday.

During the meeting, Khan sought JBCCI support to hold a single country trade fair in Tokyo, according to a foreign ministry press release.

He also requested the JBCCEC president to help Japanese firms in Bangladesh to organise similar fairs.

Akamatsu expressed keen interest in exploring business opportunities in Bangladesh and sought government cooperation in this regard.

He also favoured increasing cooperation in various fields, particularly in tourism, textile and garment sectors, and affirmed positive contribution for expanding bilateral trade and investment.

Later during a luncheon hosted by the JBCCEC in honour of the Bangladesh commerce minister, Director General of MFUJ Bank Morisaki informed that his bank would organize an investment seminar for Bangladesh in Tokyo later this year.

Khan also met Vice-President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Hiroyo Sasaki at its headquarters and sought support of the Japanese government in power, energy, communication infrastructure and other flourishing sectors stressing that it would further accelerate the economic progress of Bangladesh.

Referring to the joint statement signed between the two governments during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sasaki said that it would dispatch an expert team headed by an adviser of the Japanese prime minister to activate the Action Plan' for creating a better investment environment for Japanese investors.

Khan is expected to meet the foreign minister and financial services minister of Japan, the president of Japan Bangladesh Parliamentary League, JETRO president as well as top brass in MARUBENI and TORAY.