The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Tokyo

The four-day Bangladesh's single country trade fair began here on Tuesday with the hope of further increasing trade and business between the two friendly countries in the days to come.

Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Bangladesh with the active support of Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo have been organizing the fair at the JETRO Building in the Japanese capital, a message received here yesterday said.

Japanese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Osamu Uno inaugurated the fair dubbing Bangladesh as one of the next 11 emerging economies of the world. "Cooperation to harness trade between the two friendly countries would be further increased in the days to come," he said.

Japanese dignitaries including Akihiro Nishimura, Kenji Ogiwara, JETRO Chairman Yasuo Hayashi, Vice-Chairman of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Md. Shahab Ullah and Bangladesh Ambassador in Tokyo Ashraf-ud-Doula, among others, were also present at the opening ceremony.

The EPB Vice-Chairman attached due importance on increasing bilateral trade, especially through enhancing exports to Japan. "This exhibition will unfold new avenues when the Japanese importers come across the products by talking to the producers directly during the fair," he said.

He thanked the Japanese government, especially the JETRO, for providing supports towards organising this fair.

The JETRO chairman assured their cooperation towards promoting Bangla-desh business in Japan through extending technical assistance to produce quality products in fulfilling the taste of Japanese consumers, the message said.

In this context, he referred to the long 35 years of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Japan and said it would be further strengthened to the mutual benefit of both the countries.

In the fair, twenty-nine Bangladeshi and five Japanese companies are displaying products of international standard. They include leather products, ceramic tableware, home textile, Jute goods, RMG (both woven and knit) and Handicrafts.

It is expected that the fair would be able to motivate the Japanese consumers as well as business communities' sentiment towards expanding the market of Bangladeshi products.