The New Nation - Internet Edition

The Government of Japan and the Government of Bangladesh signed agreements in Dhaka on May 25 on the Japanese grant aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) programme for the next year amounting to 294 million yen (approximately Taka 19 crore).

Masayuki Inoue, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, and Md Aminul Islam Bhuiyan, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, signed the Exchange of Notes on behalf of their respective governments.

The Government of Bangladesh will start recruiting candidates for 8th JDS in July this year. The total number of 20 persons will be selected for studying in Japan for two years from July 2009.

JDS programme was established by the Government of Japan in 2001. In the last six years, a total of 127 JDS fellows were sent to Japan, and 91 JDS fellows have returned to Bangladesh, contributing to the development of Bangladesh. The Government of Japan has been providing academic opportunities for the Bangladeshi scholarship holders to study various fields in Japanese higher academic institutions. JDS is designed to contribute to enhancing the knowledge and skills of young Bangladeshi people.

It aims at government junior officials who are expected to play leading roles for the development of Bangladesh after completion of their studies and to strengthen friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.

The fields of study offered under this programme are public administration, economics, international relations and environmental policy.