Staff Reporter:
Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus was scheduled to leave Dhaka early today for Japan on a four-day official visit and to attend the 30th Nikkei Forum and hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to boost bilateral cooperation.
“The Chief Adviser is leaving for Japan at about 2 am tonight. It is a very important visit for us,” Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy yesterday afternoon.
During the visit, the Chief Adviser will join the 30th Nikkei Forum where world top leaders will partic-ipate, he said.
Alam said Prof Yunus will hold a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, which is very important on Bangladesh context.
In addition, he said the Chief Adviser will talk to senior Japanese officials and will hold a meeting with JICA.
The press secretary said Prof Yunus will speak at two seminars on human resources and investment dur-ing this tour.
Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Senior Assistant Press Secre-tary Foyez Ahammad were also present at the press briefing.
According to the itinerary, revealed by the acting foreign secretary, the Chief Adviser is scheduled to depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2:10 am on Wednesday (May 28) aboard a Cathay Pacif-ic flight via Hong Kong, en route to Tokyo.
He is expected to reach Narita International Airport at 2:30 pm local time, where he will be received with state honours by Japan’s Chief of Protocol, senior Japanese officials, and Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan.
Acting Foreign Secretary Md Ruhul Alam Siddique disclosed the details of the visit at a curtain-raiser press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.
During the visit, seven Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed, covering cooperation in investment, energy, and technology sectors, said the secretary.
An Exchange of Notes is also anticipated on budgetary support and the upgradation of the Joydebpur-Ishwardi railway line to a dual-gauge double-track, he added.
The Chief Adviser will conclude his visit and depart Tokyo at morning on May 31 by a Singapore Air-lines flight via Singapore. His arrival in Dhaka is expected later that night.
