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Bangladesh, one of the top three loan recipient countries of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the world, has received a cumulative total of over 3.0 trillion Japanese Yen, equivalent to over US$ 20 billion.
ITO Teruyuki, Director General of the South Asia Division at JICA Headquarters, disclosed this on Monday while addressing a function to mark the 50th anniversary of JICA's cooperation with Bangladesh.
He outlined some of the major JICA-supported projects in Bangladesh and said Japan was Bangladesh's largest bilateral development partner, and the partnership through JICA evolved and strengthened over the past five decades.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori were present on the occasion. Among other dignitaries, high-level government officials, heads of agencies, and development partners were also present, according to a JICA press release issued on Tuesday.
It said JICA provided JPY 3,285 billion (approximately US$22 billion) in official development assistance (ODA) loan so far, JPY 144 billion (approximately US$965 million) in grant aid until 2022, JPY 104 billion (about US$699 million) in technical cooperation till 2022, and JPY 25 billion (approximately US$166 million) in private sector investment finance (in loan and equity), so far.
The agency also provided training and education opportunities to over 14,000 public servants and deployed 1,286 Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, it added.
JICA-supported landmark projects include the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative, Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Projects for three Dhaka metro lines, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Expansion Project, 2nd Kanchpur, Meghna and Gumti Bridges Construction Project, the Project for Bangladesh Special Economic Zone in Araihazar, and Bridges Rehabilitation and Constructions Project.
JICA's cooperation, during the 50 years, has also covered education, health, agriculture and rural, governance and private sector development, disaster risk reduction, water supply and sanitation, solid waste management, power and energy, etc.
Appreciating Japan's support to Bangladesh, the Finance Minister said, "Japan is the ideal example for us as well as the entire world. Our communities will sustain and develop with JICA and Japan's support. Japan is our time-tested friend, and we hope Japan's cooperation will help our country attain all the goals."
Chief Representative of JICA Ichiguchi Tomohide emphasised the friendship between Japan and Bangladesh.
He said JICA cooperated in too many different areas and sectors through technical cooperation, concessional loans, grant aid, volunteers, and other schemes as a trusted friend of Bangladesh.
Senior Secretary of Economics Relations Division Sharifa Khan said, during the last 50 years, Japan's cooperation had spread to every corner of the country contributing 15 sectors of the country.