Bangladesh, Japan Seek Deeper Strategic Partnership
Rahman is visiting Japan for a four-day official trip, during which the two sides discussed shared priorities and opportunities to expand cooperation.
"Today, I had a highly productive summit meeting with Prime Minister @takaichi_sanae, where we reaffirmed our shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law, economic development, and a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific," he said on the US social media platform X.
"A significant outcome of our summit was our shared commitment to advance the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B) initiative into a new framework for shared prosperity," he added.
The BIG-B initiative is intended to promote investment in energy, deep-sea ports, industrial infrastructure, technology and regional connectivity, while reinforcing Bangladesh’s role as a link between South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Rahman also proposed creating a Bangladesh-Japan Tech Park to encourage collaboration in artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.
Additional discussions covered cooperation in space science and satellite engineering, alongside Japanese technical and financial assistance for the development of high-speed rail connections.
The Bangladeshi prime minister expressed appreciation for Japan’s continued humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees and urged Tokyo to maintain its involvement in efforts to facilitate their voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar.
Bangladesh hosts approximately 1.2 million Rohingya refugees along its southeastern coast. Most fled Myanmar following a military crackdown in August 2017.
Japan remains Bangladesh’s largest bilateral development partner and an important destination for its exports, with bilateral trade valued at approximately $4 billion.
Rahman became prime minister in February after his party won Bangladesh’s first general election since the student-led uprising in 2024 that removed former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power.
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