Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser of the caretaker government, has announced that Japan will make significant investments in the Matarbari project.

He made the statement during a press briefing held on Sunday (June 1) at the Foreign Service Academy, discussing current affairs.

The Press Secretary said Japan will cooperate in the master plan for Matarbari and is expected to contribute a large portion of the $29 million investment. Additionally, positive discussions have taken place regarding Japanese businessmen investing in Bangladesh. Encouraging investor interest was one of the main objectives of the recent visit, he added.

Shafiqul Alam also mentioned that talks have been held with JETRO, Japan’s main investment agency, which responded positively to investment proposals.

He further stated that there is significant potential for sending workers to Japan and collaborating on the country’s manpower market. Japan aims to recruit 100,000 workers over the next five years, and work is underway to facilitate this. Discussions have also taken place to resolve visa complexities that previously posed challenges for Bangladeshi workers traveling to Japan.

The press conference was attended by Deputy Press Secretary Azad Mazumder and Assistant Press Secretary Ahmed Foyez.

Meanwhile, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the caretaker government, called on Chinese investors to invest in Bangladesh to develop the country as a manufacturing hub. He made this appeal at the inauguration of a day-long China-Bangladesh Business and Investment Conference held on Sunday (June 1).

Addressing Chinese investors, the Chief Adviser said, “Invest here to help make Bangladesh a manufacturing hub. Ready-made garments, energy, agriculture, jute, and information technology are promising industries in Bangladesh.”

He added that nearly half of Bangladesh’s workforce is under 30 years old, and these young people are ready to join the workforce. He urged Chinese businessmen to invest to create employment opportunities for this young population.

The conference was organized to provide detailed insights into China’s investment potential and market opportunities in Bangladesh. It was jointly hosted by the governments of Bangladesh and China. Nearly 250 investors and businessmen from about 100 Chinese companies participated in the event.