<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Bangladesh and Japan are currently enjoying a very friendly relationship and the friendship is getting deeper day by day, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She made the remarks to Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi who called on her at the bilateral meeting room of Akasaka Palace Guest House in Tokyo.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM’s deputy press secretary KM Shakhwat Moon briefed reporters after the meeting.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said Hasina and the Japanese foreign minister praised the friendly relationship existing between Bangladesh and Japan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They observed that the friendship is gradually increasing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh-Japan relations emanate from the unwavering support of Japanese people for the cause of the independence of Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She mentioned that Japan recognised Bangladesh soon after its independence on February 10, 1972.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Last year (2022), we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between our two countries,” she was quoted as saying.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Bangladesh premier thanked the government and the people of Japan for their part in the elaborate celebrations, which further strengthened bilateral ties and people-to-people bonds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Expressing happiness to undertake her sixth visit to Japan as the prime minister of Bangladesh, she recalled her visit to Japan in 1997, when the two countries observed the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She recalled the official visit of the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Japan on 18-24 October 1973, which laid the rock-solid foundation for today's exemplary Bangladesh-Japan relations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Bangabandhu was an ardent admirer of Japan's development model and was inspired to build his own war-ravaged country with Japan's experience,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hasina said Japan is the largest bilateral development partner of Bangladesh. “Japan's contribution is evident in major development initiatives being undertaken in Bangladesh,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She thanked Japan for sustained and generous support over the years to Bangladesh's socio-economic advancement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;She said Bangladesh counts on Japan's continued support and cooperation to turn Bangladesh into a "Smart Bangladesh" by 2041 as per the Vision-2041.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Bangladesh PM sought Japan’s support in its bid to become a vice-president of the Asian Development Bank.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She also sought Japan's support, as a Council member country of the IMO, for Bangladesh's candidature for IMO Secretary General Post as its election would be held on 17-18 July 2023 in London.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Japanese FM Yoshimasa highly appreciated the ongoing development of Bangladesh in every sector including agriculture, education, ICT and health under the leadership of PM Hasina. “You are advancing your country,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said that Japan was always beside Bangladesh for its development and will remain in the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, and State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak were present.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Dr Tanaka Akihiko, Chairman of Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial &amp; Economic Cooperation (JBCCEC) Fumiya Kokubu, Chairman and CEO of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Ishiguro Norihiko and President of Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League (JBPFL) Taro Aso separately met Sheikh Hasina at her palace of residence --Akasaka Palace—here on Wednesday. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>