Staff Reporter:
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Professor Asif Nazrul described Japan as a time-tested friend of Bangladesh, saying the country is one of the few countries that recognized Bangla-desh within two months of achieving its independence.
“Japan is a genuine and trusted friend of Bangladesh. The good relations existing between the two friendly countries — Bangladesh and Japan — are a unique example in the international arena yesterday,” he said.
The adviser said this yesterday while meeting with a nine-member team of the Japanese Parliamentary League on ILO activities at his office at the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment in the city.
Secretary General of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and member of the House of Repre-sentatives Michihiro Ishibashi led the team.
During the meeting, they exchanged views on issues related to bilateral interests, especially on sending skilled workers to Japan.
Recalling Japan’s important contribution to the socio-economic development of Bangladesh, Asif Nazrul said that Japan was the first country among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Develop-ment (OECD) countries to recognize independent Bangladesh on February 10, 1972.
He said that every year at least one million workers from Bangladesh are getting employment opportuni-ties abroad.
During the meeting, Policy Adviser of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Zia Hassan delivered the keynote speech.
