Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has described the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) as one of Bangladesh’s largest development partners, expressing his hope that the cooperative relationship between the two will be further strengthened in the future.
The minister made these remarks during a courtesy meeting with JICA President Tanaka Akihiko at the Secretariat on Sunday.
During the meeting, both sides held detailed discussions regarding ongoing and future development plans for Bangladesh. Key areas of exchange included waste management, water management, capacity building for the local government sector, and sustainable urban development.
Fakhrul highlighted that Bangladesh is progressing rapidly under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who is keen on the swift completion of developmental projects.
He noted that the government is working in coordination with international development partners to make the local government system more modern, effective, and people oriented.
In this context, Fakhrul emphasised that JICA’s expertise, technical assistance, and investment would play a vital role in the country’s sustainable development.
The meeting was attended by Local Government Division Secretary Md Shahidul Hassan, Director General (Monitoring, Evaluation and Inspection Wing) Md Mahmudul Hasan and other senior officials of the ministry.
According to relevant observers, this courtesy call will further consolidate the long-standing development partnership between Bangladesh and JICA, while creating new avenues of cooperation across various development activities, including the local government sector.
