Japan has decided to further relax the rules of origin for Bangladeshi knitwear products in its market, according to the Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star.

The move has been discussed at a high-level meeting between the two countries in Dhaka, where government representatives of both countries expressed their support for the plan.

Foreign Secretary Md. Shahidul Haque and Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama led their respective delegations at the meeting.

Strengthening relationship

Also at the meeting, the Japanese delegation said that its government has preliminarily decided to provide official development assistance to build a dedicated rail bridge over the Jamuna river, parallel to the Bangabandhu Bridge.

“Tokyo reaffirms its commitment to further strengthen its bilateral relationship with Bangladesh based on the 'comprehensive partnership' agreed upon between the two prime ministers last year,” Sugiyama said after the meeting, the newspaper reports.

At the meeting, Bangladesh also proposed that a joint working group to be formed to further enhance agricultural cooperation between the two countries. The Japanese side agreed to look into it and requested for concept paper, according to The Daily Star.

Development partner

Japan is currently the largest development partner of Bangladesh, and the relations between two countries have reached a new height following the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Tokyo last year.

“Japan in principle has agreed to relax the rules of origin for Bangladesh. The modalities on it will be worked out now. We think it’s a big announcement,” Md. Shahidul Haque told the reporters.

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