"Japan is very much interested to build this bridge. But it alone cannot fund $1.3 billion for the bridge. We cannot make any commitment now," said Japanese Ambassador Matsushiro Horiguchi while talking to The Daily Star in his office last week.

Bangladesh was expecting that it would be able to sign at least a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the bridge during the visit of the prime minister.

Japan has already suggested Bangladesh to organise the same financier group that helped construct the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge--the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan, and Bangladesh itself. "Bangladesh has already delayed its move in this regard. It has not yet requested the World Bank till now," Horiguchi pointed out.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) completed a three-year feasibility study in May at a cost of $5.6 million. The JICA studied four sites for the project and found Maowa and Aricha as feasible. However, of these, the JICA believes Maowa is the best option.

If the bridge is built over the Padma at Maowa, it will end at Janjira on the other side laying a four-lane 5.6 kilometres structure. The bridge will also have a railway track, gas and other pipelines to connect the central region of the country with the southwestern region and have huge economic returns for the nation.

Families of about 3000 houses will have to be relocated from Maowa and Janjira points.

"At present times Aricha sees more commuters than Maowa. But JICA believes within 10 to 20 years, Maowa will be the key gateway for the development of the southwestern region," Horiguchi pointed out.

The JICA also analysed aerial photographs of the Padma taken in the 1920s, '40s and two other decades to see how the river changes its course. It came to the conclusion that at the Aricha point the river changes its course more frequently while it is much stable at Maowa. This also makes Maowa a better spot.

Government sources said the Padma bridge project will be enlisted in the annual development project (ADP) of the current fiscal without any allocation. The project has now passed the pre-Ecnec level.

Meanwhile, during her visit to Japan, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will be present at a MoU signing on the International Training Cooperation Organisation Agreement (ITCOA) between the two countries, the ambassador said.

When this deal is finalised, Japan will allow Bangladeshi employees of about 60 sectors of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to work in the same sector in Japan for three years. The Bangladeshi workers--or "trainees"--may get additional two years to serve in these sectors based on their performance.

Japanese agency Japan International Training Cooperation Organisation (JITCO), which is negotiating the deal with Bangladesh, will facilitate the training programme so that the trainees are assigned to appropriate companies.

"The idea is, when these trainees have acquired experience and knowledge of working in Japanese SMEs, they will return to Bangladesh and apply their knowledge and skills there. This will help improve the efficiency of Bangladeshi young people to develop the SMEs," the ambassador pointed out.

The Bangladeshi prime minister is also expected to participate in the 14th meeting of the Japan-Bangladesh Joint Committee for Commercial and Economic Co-operation where Japanese investors will share their experience, advantage and disadvantages of investing in Bangladesh, and how to improve its investment climate.