Government Seeks Increased Investment from Japan and JICA to Boost Employment
The interim government of Bangladesh has expressed its desire for increased investment from Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to reduce unemployment by creating more job opportunities in the country.
The announcement was made during a meeting on Sunday at the office of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications between a delegation led by Ichiguchi Tomohide, JICA's Chief Representative in Bangladesh, and Md. Nahid Islam, Adviser to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, Information and Broadcasting.
During the discussion, Ichiguchi Tomohide noted that Bangladesh holds significant potential in the information technology (IT) sector. However, due to limited job opportunities in the IT industry, JICA aims to create new employment opportunities and plans to train 1,000 IT engineers to capitalize on Bangladesh's potential in this field.
Adviser Md. Nahid Islam emphasized the government's goal of increasing employment and reducing unemployment, pointing out that employment creation is a top priority. He added that the interim government welcomes any investment from JICA that can help create jobs, as this was a key issue behind the recent movements in the country. The government hopes for further investment from Japan and JICA in this regard.
In response, Ichiguchi Tomohide expressed JICA's interest in working on two key agendas: increasing investment and public administration reform. He also mentioned JICA’s interest in infrastructure development and its willingness to share expertise gained from other countries' experiences to assist Bangladesh. Tomohide further noted that Bangladesh is JICA's second-largest investment destination globally.
The adviser highlighted the government's ongoing efforts to create a business-friendly environment to encourage private sector investment, with work underway to address various obstacles. He added that Bangladesh’s youth are highly talented, and collaboration with JICA would enhance their skills, which is why the government is keen to work with JICA. The government is also actively exploring ways to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country.
Dr. Md. Mushfiqur Rahman, Secretary of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications; Shish Hayder Chowdhury, Secretary of the ICT Division; Komori Takashi, Senior Representative of JICA Bangladesh; and other JICA representatives including Kukami Minami and Soji Akihiro were present at the meeting.
