Japan to give $100m more for Padma Bridge
Staff Correspondent

Hasina holds talk with Kan
United News of Bangladesh. Tokyo

Japan will provide additional $100 million to Bangladesh for the construction of the Padma Bridge.
The announcement came in a joint statement signed by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, and the Japanese prime minister, Naoto Kan, in Tokyo on Monday evening.
The additional $100 million will be given in the form of official development assistance loan to implement the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project.
With this additional $100 million in ODA, Japan’s total contribution for the construction of the Padma Bridge stands at $400 million, prime minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told newsmen after the talks of the two prime ministers at the Prime Minister’s Office where the joint statement was signed.
Of the total funding of $2.40 billion, the World Bank will provide $1.20 billion, ADB $550 million, IDB $130 million and the Abu Dhabi Fund of the UAE government $30 million to implement the Padma Bridge Project.
Prime minister Kan also assured Hasina of actively considering the Bangladesh proposal for relaxing the rules of origin of Generalised System of Preferences on knit products to strengthen bilateral economic relations through textile trade.
On the Padma Bridge Project, the 19-point joint statement said the two prime ministers expressed their strong expectation that the project will substantially contribute towards the economic development and poverty alleviation of Bangladesh through improved connectivity between its capital area and its eastern and south-western regions.
The two prime ministers also reached a common view that they would cooperate further in order to bolster global peace and security as well as the prosperity of the international community and the South Asia region.
The statement said the two prime ministers decided to make further efforts to strengthen high-level policy consultations and to expand high-level visits and dialogue at various levels, including exchanges among opinion leaders and members of their parliament.
In the joint statement, Kan underscored the need for an improved environment for investment in Bangladesh.
In this regard, Hasina referred to the attractive investment incentives offered by Bangladesh.
Kan conveyed Japan’s commitment to continue to support the strengthening of disaster reduction measures by Bangladesh in the face of its pronounced vulnerability to climate change.
He also reiterated that the government of Japan would continue to invite Bangladeshi youths and officials under the Japanese government scholarships in order to support Bangladesh’s efforts in the field of human resource development.
Following Hasina’s proposal, Kan expressed Japan’s intention to work jointly with Bangladesh for formulating and implementing an Action Plan towards further enhancement of Japanese investment in Bangladesh.
The two prime ministers also decided to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh in the year of 2012 in an appropriate manner.
Hasina conveyed Bangladesh’s support for Japan’s claim for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.
In this regard, the two prime ministers reaffirmed their determination to strengthen their cooperation for early reform of the UN Security Council, which would include the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent categories, in order to make the body more representative, legitimate, effective and responsive to the realities of the international community in the 21stt century.
The two prime ministers stressed the importance of early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty and the immediate commencement and early conclusion of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty.
They decided that both countries would enhance cooperation in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
The two prime ministers reaffirmed the importance of further enhancing the long standing close and cooperative relationship between the two countries, sharing democratic values.
The two prime ministers also decided to commence close and regular dialogues at senior official level to identify measures to strengthen their economic partnerships, including in the areas of trade, investment and infrastructure development.
They also welcomed the fact that the Japan-Bangladesh Joint Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation led by the private sectors in both countries has been contributing to the strengthening of bilateral economic relations.
Kan and Hasina shared the view that poverty reduction and sustainable development, in particular the achievement of the MDGs, are crucial issues that the international community is facing today.
On global warming, the two prime ministers reiterated the urgent need for resolving the climate change issues and importance of strengthening dialogue on these issues on various forums.
They reaffirmed their determination to constructively work together towards a successful outcome of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Mexico.
They shared the view that it is essential to seek the earliest adoption of a new and comprehensive legal document which establishes a fair and effective international framework for tackling climate change, with the participation of all major economies, based on the Copenhagen accord.
The Japanese prime minister has also assured Hasina, of standing by Bangladesh in its quest for a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ and achieving the position of a middle income country by fulfilling ‘Vision 2021.’
The assurance came when the two prime ministers held summit-level talks at the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday..