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Padma bridge to dominate talks with Okada

Metro rail, duty-free access also on agenda as Japan's deputy prime minister due today

Diplomatic Correspondent
Financial assistance for the construction of Padma bridge and metro rail will dominate talks during Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada's two-day visit to Bangladesh starting today.
Issues such as trade and investment and duty-free access of more Bangladeshi products to Japan will also figure high in the talks.
This will be the first such visit of Okada, who holds the portfolios of administrative reform, total reform of social security and tax, and government revitalisation.
Okada will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and hold meetings with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia and the business commu-
nity to further strengthen ties between the two countries.
Foreign ministry officials consider this visit highly important considering Japan's contribution to Bangladesh's socioeconomic development.
Japan also contributed to infrastructure and private sector development, and cooperation in the areas of agriculture, power, rural development, health, education, environment, disaster management and governance.
Dhaka is giving top importance to the visit as Japan is also the largest bilateral donor to Bangladesh and this year increased its Official Development Assistance from $400 million to $600 million. According to the programme schedule, Okada will arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 12:10pm today and Foreign Minister Dipu Moni will receive him.
On the first day of his visit, he will hold bilateral meeting with Dipu Moni at Sonargaon Hotel where the two sides will discuss the full range of bilateral issues.
Dhaka will ask for Japan's renewed commitment to fund the Padma Bridge and metro-rail construction projects, and duty-free access of more Bangladeshi items to Japan.
Bangladesh will also urge increased Japanese investment and assistance in construction of various other infrastruc-
ture projects.
After the official talks, the Japanese DPM will call on Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister's Office at 5:45pm. He will then meet the leader of the opposition.
OkadawillthenvisitBangabandhuMemo-rial Museum and place wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Before that, he will visit the ICDDR,B office in Dhaka. Dipu Moni will also host a dinner in honouroftheJapaneseDPM.
Tomorrow (May 4), the Japanese DPM will meet the business community at a breakfast meeting at Sonargaon Hotel at 8am. He will then visit Matsuoka Apparels' factory in Ashulia. He will leave Dhaka for Colombo at 12:15pm.