News Flash
DHAKA, May 26, 2025 (BSS) – Bangladesh will seek one billion US dollar soft loan from Japan during the upcoming official visit of Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus to Tokyo, scheduled for May 28-31.
"The main focus of this visit is budgetary support," said Acting Foreign Secretary Md Ruhul Alam Siddique while addressing a curtain-raiser press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this afternoon.
Chief Adviser Yunus is expected to depart Dhaka early Wednesday for the four-day visit, during which he will hold bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on May 30, aimed at deepening cooperation across a wide range of strategic areas.
"The formal announcement of the soft loan is expected following the bilateral talks, after which an exchange of notes will be signed," Siddique said.
Tokyo will accord a red-carpet welcome to the Chief Adviser upon his arrival, including a guard of honour, he said.
The Acting Foreign Secretary said the visit will prioritise the enhancement of bilateral relations, with special focus on economic and strategic collaboration.
A total of seven Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the visit, covering energy cooperation, human resource development, manpower export, and the establishment of special economic zones.
Professor Yunus will also participate in the Nikkei 30th Future of Asia Conference to be held in Tokyo on May 29–30, where he will deliver a keynote speech in a plenary session.
He was invited to the forum by Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Ikuina Akiko earlier this year.
The Chief Adviser is also a recipient of the prestigious Nikkei Asia Prize, awarded in 2004.
Highlighting the broader significance of the visit, Siddique said discussions will include a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues, including trade and investment, political and economic cooperation, security, regional and global developments, and the issue of forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar.
Japan has reiterated its commitment to strengthening engagement with Bangladesh under the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (Big-B) initiative and the broader Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy, he said.
As part of these initiatives, Japan aims to support high-quality infrastructure projects in Bangladesh and promote the expansion of Japanese manufacturing value chains, he added.
Diplomatic sources noted that both countries will seek to further enhance ties under the Japan-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership with an emphasis on people-to-people connectivity, cultural exchanges, and sectoral cooperation.
Director General of the East Asia & Pacific Wing Mohammed Nore-Alam and Director General of the Public Diplomacy Wing Shah Asif Rahman also addressed the media.
