Japan keen to help Bangladesh more
Japan is keen on providing Bangladesh with more financial assistance to help it step up the overall development and achieve the goal of becoming a middle-income country, officials of Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) said in Tokyo recently.
“But for this, Bangladesh has to ensure a peaceful climate for investment and economic growth,” said Okuda Hisakatsu, deputy director of Jica's South Asia Department.
Talking to The Daily Star at Jica headquarters, Okuda, who is in-charge of Bangladesh and Nepal, said the ongoing political violence in Bangladesh may hamper various projects and slow down the pace of development.
Improvement in governance and efficiency of the officials, checking corruption, increase in power generation, and infrastructure and transport development were also vital, he observed.
Being the largest Official Development Assistance (ODA) provider, Japan has been increasing its assistance to Bangladesh. The amount of ODA that includes grant, loan and technical assistance was nearly $300 million in 2012 and $327 million in 2013.
Every year, Jica sends missions to Bangladesh and conducts research on possible projects including their costs. On the basis of their research findings, the agency prepares a report and, upon consultation with the Bangladesh government, submits it to the Japan government for approval.
This way Japan gave 120 billion yen, equivalent to $1.18 billion, for five projects last year under the 35th Yen Loan Project.
But Jica faced problems in conducting this year's research amid the ongoing political turmoil that has begun in early January. The visit of a Jica mission was cancelled in January and thus the entire process was delayed.
“Our officials in Dhaka could not also travel in the country. Somehow we are trying to finish the job and submit a report on the 36th Yen Loan Project,” said Okuda, who could not say anything about the number of projects and the amount of financial assistance this year.
Usually, the report is prepared by the first week of February and the Japan government approves it by March as Japan's fiscal year begins from April, he added.
Okuda and another official, Omaru Ako, assistant director of Jica, expressed fear that both the current and upcoming projects might be delayed if the current situation continued in Bangladesh. Cost of some of the projects might also increase, they added.
They said the yen loan might increase to 160 billion yen if Japan gave its committed 600 billion yen, equivalent to around $6 billion, in the next four years.
“The amount of loan will be 120 billion yen if the committed money is given in five years,” Okuda said, adding that Japan is very keen on contributing to Bangladesh's socioeconomic development.
Japan started giving financial assistance 10 years after the Second World War and it now ranks second in the world in terms of ODA gross disbursement.
Last year, on the occasion of 60th year of ODA introduction, Japan decided to review the ODA charter so that it can play a role in fulfilling the needs of this age and promote peace and prosperity of Japan and the world.
“Japan's philosophy is to grow together. It's not like rich countries giving charity to poor countries,” said Akihiko Sunami, director of Japan foreign ministry's development assistance policy planning division, while explaining the ODA policy to a group of visiting journalists from various countries.
Japan provides the ODA assistance to more than 100 developing countries and regions.
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