The Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo organised a seminar on "Trade, Investment and Human Resources" at the Bangabandhu Auditorium on Friday.
The event attracted nearly 80 participants, including representatives from Japanese companies and manpower recruiting organisations, according to a press release.
In his welcome address, Ambassador Shahabuddin Ahmed encouraged Japanese business leaders and investors to explore investment opportunities in Bangladesh.
He highlighted sectors such as the garment industry, leather, jute, light engineering, information technology, Economic Zones, Hi-Tech Parks, and Export Processing Zones as ripe for investment.
The Ambassador emphasized that the relationship between Bangladesh and Japan has been upgraded to a “Strategic Partnership”, enhancing bilateral cooperation in various fields, particularly trade, investment, and human resource recruitment. Noting Japan's declining population, he urged Japanese manpower agencies to consider recruiting workers from Bangladesh.
Hitoshi Kanamori, CEO of IM Japan and co-organiser of the seminar, expressed his commitment to sourcing more human resources from Bangladesh. Business leaders such as Kiminobu Hiraishi, president of Maruhisa Co Ltd, and Dr Beh Teik Jun, clinical strategy director of Remedy and Company Corporation, shared their positive experiences of operating in Bangladesh.
Yuji Ando, JETRO Dhaka Country Representative, delivered a video presentation outlining the business environment in Bangladesh and the potential for Japanese enterprises.
Dr Ariful Haque, minister of commerce at the embassy, detailed the trade and investment opportunities available in Bangladesh, along with the support services provided by the embassy to Japanese investors. Md Zoynal Abedin, first secretary (Labour) of the embassy, presented on the topic “Bangladesh: A Highly Potential Source Country of Skilled Human Resources for Japan.”
The seminar also featured a presentation by Dr Mohammad Shah Alam, chief of the International Affairs Department of IM Japan, who discussed case studies on the successful acceptance of technical interns from Bangladesh.
The event saw active participation from Japanese entities and embassy officials, reflecting the growing interest and collaboration between Japan and Bangladesh in trade, investment, and human resources.
