Chief Adviser Prof Yunus Returns Home

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus returned to Dhaka early Sunday, wrapping up a packed four-day official visit to Japan.

A Singapore Airlines flight carrying Prof Yunus and his delegation landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 12:15 am, confirmed Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.

The delegation had earlier departed Tokyo’s Narita International Airport at 11:10 am (local time) on Saturday, en route to Dhaka via Singapore.

During his stay in Tokyo, the Chief Adviser attended nearly 20 engagements, including a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, said Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. He noted that the visit had elevated Bangladesh-Japan relations to a new level.

On Friday, the third day of the tour, Prof Yunus held formal talks with Prime Minister Ishiba. Both leaders pledged to finalise an Economic Partnership Agreement in the coming months to further strengthen trade and economic cooperation between the two nations.

The Japanese premier also announced a financial commitment of USD 1.063 billion for Bangladesh, including support for the national budget and railway infrastructure development.

Following the meeting, three key documents were signed: A USD 418 million Development Policy Loan to support economic reform and climate change resilience and a USD 641 million loan for the Joydebpur-Ishwardi dual-gauge double-line railway project.

A USD 4.2 million grant for the Human Development Scholarship.

On the same day, the Chief Adviser addressed the 'Bangladesh Business Seminar' where six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed covering trade, investment, and broader economic cooperation.

Earlier, on Thursday, Bangladesh and Japan signed two additional MoUs focused on skill development and the employment of Bangladeshi workers in Japan. These agreements were formalised at a human resources seminar organised by the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo.

Japanese businesses and government representatives also announced a plan to recruit at least 100,000 workers from Bangladesh over the next five years to address Japan’s labour shortage.

That same day, Prof Yunus delivered a keynote speech at the 30th Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia. On the forum’s sidelines, he met with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and sought his support for Bangladesh’s entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Prof Yunus was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Soka University on Friday in recognition of his contributions to social innovation and global development.

The Chief Adviser, who received the Nikkei Asia Prize in 2004, arrived in Tokyo on May 28.