Published: 12:21 AM, 29 October 2026
PM urges Japanese firms to invest in Bangladesh
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has urged Japanese businesses to invest in Bangladesh, pledging support for new ventures as the countries seek to deepen economic ties.
Speaking at the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Forum Dialogue in Tokyo on Wednesday, he welcomed fresh investment and called for their longstanding friendship to become a stronger partnership, bdnews24 reports.
The event was organised by the Japan External Trade Organization and the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation.
Tarique said Bangladesh aimed to become a global manufacturing hub, offering investors access to a growing domestic market and opportunities to export worldwide.
Japanese carmakers, retailers and agricultural machinery manufacturers are pursuing factory projects at the Japanese Economic Zone in Araihazar, he said, promising government support.
He urged Japanese companies to invest in energy infrastructure, efficient power generation and renewable energy, describing reliable, affordable energy as essential to growth.
He also outlined plans for a Bangladesh-Japan Tech Park focused on artificial intelligence, cloud computing, robotics and electronics manufacturing, and invited cooperation in space science and satellite engineering.
The premier said the government was addressing investors' concerns over energy supplies, infrastructure and predictable customs and tax policies.
He called for Japanese support in planning an elevated-road and high-speed rail network linking six major divisional cities.
He said a recently signed economic cooperation framework would allow 7,379 Bangladeshi products to enter Japan duty-free, while Japanese goods including steel, vehicle parts and electronic components would receive preferential market access in Bangladesh.
He urged businesses to turn longstanding friendship into shared prosperity for both countries.
