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Japan’s ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki paid a courtesy visit to the managing director of the Bashundhara Group, Sayem Sobhan Anvir, at his residence here yesterday. Photo: Mir Farid
When the construction of the Japanese port of Kashima began in 1982, there were rice fields. After the construction of the port, it has become the center of commerce and trade. The largest business centers in the world have sprung up around this port. The ‘Matarbari Port Development Project’ is being established in Matarbari on the Bay of Bengal in Kutubdia, Bangladesh, in the style of the famous Kashima port. It will be the first deep water port in Bangladesh.
A canal or artificial waterway is being created by excavating a salt flat. Bangladesh’s economy will change when this great work that began last month is completed. Japan’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki paid a courtesy visit to Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir at his residence yesterday. He said: ‘Bangladesh has come a long way in all areas. It’s going to be a much bigger project. Matarbari will be the second Singapore after implementation.
During this courtesy call, various aspects of mutual and economic cooperation between the two countries emerged. Sayem Sobhan Anvir, Managing Director of Bashundhara Group, highlighted Bangladesh’s progress. At the time, the Japanese ambassador said that among the development projects in Bangladesh, the Matarbari deepwater port project would add a different dimension to South Asia’s connectivity with the ASEAN region.
When Sayem Sobhan Anvir called for more Japanese investment in Bangladesh, Ito Naoki said he hoped Japanese investment in the 2,500 Narayanganj SEZs would make history. Japan is investing a billion dollars there. “We expect at least 100 Japanese companies to invest.”
The Japanese ambassador also praised the economic development of Bangladesh in the Corona epidemic. According to him, Sayem Sobhan confidently said: “It is true that everything came to a standstill after the arrival of Corona. But now the situation has changed. I hope that our country will move forward leaving all obstacles behind. We believe in Bangladesh. We are confident, we will be able to overcome all obstacles and move on.
Kaler Kantha Editor Imdadul Haque Milon, Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naeem Nizam, Daily Sun Editor Enamul Haque Chowdhury, Banglanews Editor Jewel Mazhar, Bashundhara Abu Tayyab Group Advisor, Bashundhara Kings President Imr Media group executives.
The Matarbari Development Project is being implemented by the Chittagong Port Authority with funds from Japan’s development partner JICA, the Government of Bangladesh and the Port of Chittagong. The project, which will be implemented in two phases, is expected to be completed in 2026 with a budget of Tk 16,000 crore. Once the work is completed, ships with a depth of 18 meters will be able to dock in this port. Generally, a port with a depth of 14 meters can be called a deep-water port. This is why the Japanese ambassador is so excited. He said: ‘Bangladesh is a development model to follow. The geographical location here is excellent. To this end, Japan has increased its investment in Bangladesh. Several times more Japanese companies are working in Bangladesh now than before. The number has exceeded 300 ».
After lunch at Sayem Sobhan Anvir’s residence, Ito Naoki further said that the world will have a new Bangladesh in 2025. The face of Bangladesh will change in the next five years. If the third terminal, Matarbari project, metro railway project is implemented, Bangladesh will occupy a new place in the world. He praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership for her success in reversing the economy in dealing with the effects of the coronavirus. The Japanese ambassador also expressed his hope that Bangladeshi products will be exported to Japan rather than China and India. Bangladesh’s relationship with this friendly country will be stronger.
Ito Naoki also spoke about preparations for the Tokyo Olympics, which have been delayed for a year.
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