Chery saplings from Japan planted in Narayanganj
BM Report:
Investors from various regions of Japan, including Naruto City and the City Corporation of Narayanganj, a district near Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, are walking on the path of strengthening economic relations by building the base of social and cultural relations.
On March 28 of this year, a city-to-city friendship agreement was signed between Narayanganj and Naruto. As part of this sister city program, a visiting Japanese delegation and the country’s ambassador to Bangladesh planted cherry plants in the yard of Narayanganj City Corporation on Tuesday.
City Mayor Dr. Selnia Hayat Ivy, cultural activists, Bangladeshi business leaders, and media leaders accompanied the delegation. At the ceremony, Ambassador to Japan Iwama Kimnori said Bangladesh is one of their friend countries, so the Japanese government and businessmen want to advance relations with this country in diverse ways. “To improve our relationship naturally, chery saplings have been brought from Japan and planted in the center of Narayanganj. We will see cherry blossoms here in this country, and her relationship with Japan will flourish more,” said the ambassador to Japan.
Narayanganj City Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy said Naruto City will help the overall development of Narayanganj City under the Frindship City Agreement. “The friendship between the two cities of the two countries will go on smoothly and effectively. This friendship will further strengthen the friendly relations between the people of Bangladesh and Japan,” said Ivy. In the first phase, 30 cherry saplings of three relatively heat-tolerant varieties have been brought from Japan. On the occasion of their planting, a 5-member delegation led by the Managing Supervisor of Naruto City, Koizumi Kenji, is also visiting Bangladesh.
On their trip to Narayanganj on Tuesday, they were accompanied by Yuji Ando, the head of Jetro in Bangladesh; Kiminubo Hiraishi, CEO of Maruhisa Group; and about twenty other Japanese businessmen and company executives. Hiraisi’s company operates a modern and compliant garment factory at Adamjee Economic Zone, located a few kilometers off the City Corporation office. He has been continuously contributing to the development of social and cultural relations with Narayanganj.
During their visit to Narayanganj on Tuesday, the Japanese visited the Chunka Library and Art Gallery and enjoyed an hour-long cultural program at the City Corporation Auditorium. Songs of Nobel Laureate Bengali poet Rabindranat Thakur, folk songs, and Bengali folk dance were performed there by artists of the local Antar Cultural Group. The city mayor also took the Japanese delegation on a tour of Sheikh Russell Memorial Park and had lunch at the newly constructed Park Lounge Restaurant.
The delegation also visited a Japanese-language learning center in the city. Syed Mustafizur Rahman, a renowned business leader and the Managing Director of Novo Group, and Kazi Azizul Islam, Director of the multipurpose research and consulting firm Thoughts and Thorough and the coordinator of the Business and Economic Editors Guild, also accompanied the Japanese delegation. “Bilateral investment and economic relations are not just about counting money; activities and interactions make relations alive and sustainable,” Syed Rahman said.
