B'desh wants Japanese aid for sea port, bridge

DHAKA, July 24: Bangladesh will ask for nearly DHAKA, July 24: Bangladesh will ask for nearly $2.0 billion in aid from Japan to build a deep sea port and a river bridge, government officials said on Monday ahead of a visit by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso.

Japan is the largest single donor to Bangladesh, having given Dhaka nearly $7.0 billion in loans, grants and technical assistance since 1972, officials said.

Aso, the first Japanese foreign minister to visit Bangladesh since 1987, is due to arrive in Dhaka on Monday night from the Philippines. He will leave for Malaysia on Tuesday night, foreign ministry officials said.

''Primarily we will seek Japan's assistance for the deep sea port in the Bay of Bengal and the bridge over the river Padma, in the country's north,'' a foreign ministry official told Reuters.

''Also, both sides will explore other avenues where Japan can be of help to us,'' he said without elaborating.

In the 2004-05 (July-June) fiscal year, Bangladesh's exports to Japan were worth $122.41 million against imports of $547.15 million, officials said.

Aso will talk to his Bangladesh counterpart M. Morshed Khan and meet both Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and opposition leader Sheikh Hasina.

REUTERS.0 billion in aid from Japan to build a deep sea port and a river bridge, government officials said on Monday ahead of a visit by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso.

Japan is the largest single donor to Bangladesh, having given Dhaka nearly .0 billion in loans, grants and technical assistance since 1972, officials said.

Aso, the first Japanese foreign minister to visit Bangladesh since 1987, is due to arrive in Dhaka on Monday night from the Philippines. He will leave for Malaysia on Tuesday night, foreign ministry officials said.

''Primarily we will seek Japan's assistance for the deep sea port in the Bay of Bengal and the bridge over the river Padma, in the country's north,'' a foreign ministry official told Reuters.

''Also, both sides will explore other avenues where Japan can be of help to us,'' he said without elaborating.

In the 2004-05 (July-June) fiscal year, Bangladesh's exports to Japan were worth 2.41 million against imports of 7.15 million, officials said.

Aso will talk to his Bangladesh counterpart M. Morshed Khan and meet both Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and opposition leader Sheikh Hasina.

REUTERS