Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has urged Japanese apparel giant Uniqlo to step up investment in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry, especially in man-made fibres, technical textiles and sustainable apparel manufacturing.
He met a delegation led by Tadashi Yanai, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Fast Retailing Company Ltd, Uniqlo’s parent company, on Wednesday.
Tarique lauded Uniqlo’s confidence in Bangladesh and its longstanding business ties with the country through Fast Retailing.
The two sides explored deeper cooperation in technology transfer, skills development, product innovation, advanced manufacturing systems and environmentally friendly production.
The prime minister pledged his government’s full support for Uniqlo’s expansion in Bangladesh, promising to ease access to land, speed up investment approvals and clear other administrative hurdles.
Both sides stressed the need to implement the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), voicing hope that it would boost trade and investment ties between the two countries.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, the prime minister’s adviser on finance and planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs-I Humaiun Kobir, Invest Bangladesh Chairman Ashik Chowdhury, Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostaqur Rahman, the prime minister’s special assistant Shakirul Islam Khan and additional press secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman, among others, attended the meeting.
The Japanese delegation also included Takeshi Okazaki, director of Fast Retailing Company Ltd, and Yoshihiro Kunii, the company’s group senior executive officer.
