Digital and high-tech are taking center at Tokyo Visit

At the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will embark on a four-day official state visit to Tokyo from October 26 to 29, 2026.

The formal announcement was made jointly by both nations on Tuesday (October 20, 2026) at 1:00 PM Bangladesh Time (4:00 PM Japan Time). Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam briefed media representatives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, alongside Secretary Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury and Director General of Public Diplomacy Shaheedul Karim.

A special Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight will convey the Prime Minister, accompanied by First Lady Dr. Zubaida Rahman, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Commerce Minister Moktadir Chowdhury, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, Minister of State for Power and Energy Anindya Islam Amit, Finance and Planning Adviser Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs-1 Humayun Kabir, and Adviser for Posts, Telecommunications & Information Technology and Science & Technology Rehan Asif Asad. Invest Bangladesh Authority Chairman and Special Assistant to the PM Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun will also join the delegation.

Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam highlighted, “Following the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Bangladesh and Japan in February 2026, new technology-driven horizons have opened up for bilateral trade. During this visit, 3 to 4 MoUs are expected to be signed covering renewable energy, smart agriculture, science and high technology, digital transformation, technical skill development, research, expansion of joint JICA ICT projects, and cost optimization for MRT infrastructure.” He added, “We are discussing about eight MoUs, and we expect three to four of them to be signed.”

On October 27, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will hold a high-level summit and attend an official luncheon with Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae at her office. The itinerary features high-tech and economic meetings with the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League, JBCCEC, the JICA President, the JBIC Governor, the JETRO President, and the Chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. The Prime Minister will also tour Futtsu City's LNG Terminal, Uniqlo Headquarters, and Toyota’s smart automobile manufacturing plant in Nagoya.

Addressing concerns over the doubled cost of Dhaka's MRT Line-1 project, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam noted, “The issue of reducing interest costs will be raised during the Japan visit. However, the outcome will depend on the discussions. We describe the current relationship between the two countries as a 'strategic partnership.' Under this framework, ongoing collaborative initiatives cover Bangladesh's physical infrastructure, technological advancement, human resource development, and security cooperation. We hope these activities will be further strengthened and expanded through this visit.”

He added that Japan remains a principal development partner, supporting landmark infrastructure and connectivity projects such as the Metrorail, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Terminal 3, and the Matarbari Deep Sea Port.

//DBTech/DPOBD/SMP/MVNO//