Message from the Chief Representative

I arrived in Dhaka as the Chief Representative of the JICA Bangladesh Office in September 2022.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Japan and Bangladesh. I am delighted and honored to be assigned as the Chief Representative in this historic year. Here, I would like to emphasize that JICA commit to realizing better cooperation for the bright future of Bangladesh and further deepening the trusted relations between Japan and Bangladesh, keeping in mind the passion of people who contributed to the development of Bangladesh during the last 50 years.

Bangladesh's great success

When it comes to the images of Bangladesh, poverty, famine, cyclone damage, and floods may come to mind for many. However, Bangladesh is now undergoing a significant transformation.

Photo

Bangladesh gained independence in 1971. At that time, its gross national income (GNI) per capita was just over $100, and it was one of the poorest countries in the world. Since then, remarkable development has been achieved. The economy has been growing by over 6 percent since 2011 (except for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and GNI per capita reached $2,620 in 2021. Moreover, the poverty rate has reduced in the last 20 years, from 48.9% in 2000 to 20.5% in 2019, and social development indicators such as primary education enrollment, gender equality, and infant mortality rate have improved significantly. With those achievements, Bangladesh is expected to graduate from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by 2026.

For a country ravaged by wars and poverty, the 50 years have been a tremendously long and challenging path. Nevertheless, Bangladesh has continued its best effort to tackle all hurdles ahead. I believe Bangladesh's steady march of development can be considered a great success from a global and historical viewpoint.

Latest situation

Bangladesh borders India and Myanmar in the nexus between South and Southeast Asia. With a population of approximately 165 million, it is one of the most populous countries in the world. It is worth mentioning that the country has generously hosted over 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.

Bangladesh's economy is more significant than Vietnam's, and its credit rating is comparable to that of Vietnam and Brazil. The country's primary export industry, apparel (ready-made garment), is the second largest in the world in terms of export value. In addition to clothing, Japanese companies continue to expand into the pharmaceutical, motorcycle manufacturing, and construction industries, with the number of Japanese companies currently over 300.

In the capital city of Dhaka, one of the world's largest cities with a metropolitan population of over 20 million, the urban railway (Mass Rapid Transit) that JICA has been supporting will be partially completed in December 2022, and the country's first subway (underground railway) construction will soon begin. The third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the country's gateway, is scheduled to open in 2024 with JICA's cooperation. Bangladesh is about to take off to a higher development stage.

JICA and Bangladesh

JICA's longstanding relationship with Bangladesh dates back to 1973 when JICA dispatched three young volunteers to Bangladesh. Since then, JICA has cooperated in many sectors and regions through technical cooperation, ODA Loans (long-term, low-interest loans), grant aid, volunteers' dispatch (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, JOCV), cooperation with NGOs, and other schemes.

In recent years, Bangladesh has become the second largest ODA Loans recipient country in the JICA's portfolio, with a cumulative total of over 2.7 trillion Japanese yen in a wide range of areas, including large-scale infrastructure development in the power and transportation sectors, disaster prevention, and rural development.

In technical cooperation, JICA has contributed to human resource development and institutional imporovement in the Governmetn of Bangaldesh by dispatching approximately 5,100 experts in most sectors and training of 14,000 Bangladesh officials in Japan. Furthermore, 1,284 volunteers were sent to various sectors under the JOCV program. In terms of collaboration with the private sector, JICA's "Private Sector Investment Finance" and "SDGs Business Supporting Surveys" for the private sector have been growing.

Japan has been Bangladesh's largest bilateral development partner country for many years, based on friendly relations between Japan and Bangaldesh since the country's independence.

Conclusion

In a world with multiple risks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, unstable international situation, and climate change, Bangladesh also faces many challenges toward sustainable development, including industrial diversification, infrastructure development, strengthening support for vulnerable groups, financial reform, and climate change response.

JICA Bangladesh Office is committed to continuing to be a bridge between Japan and Bangladesh and help the country achieve sustainable development and improve the lives of Bangladeshi people, taking advantage of the trust built over a long period of cooperation.

Having always in mind the passion of many people who devoted themselves to this country's development, including the seven Japanese victims of the horrific terrorist attack in July 2016 who dedicated their lives to the planning of the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project, JICA Bangladesh Office continues to pursue the better cooperation for the bright future of this country and further deepen friendly relations between Japan and Bangladesh.

ICHIGUCHI Tomohide
Chief Representative
JICA Bangladesh Office