Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will invest around $ 1.20 billion in power and other priority sectors in Bangladesh during the next fiscal year. JICA chief representative Bangladesh office Mikio Hataeda stated this during a meeting with Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal at his office this afternoon. Hoping that Bangladesh would be able to become a mid-income country by 2021, Mikio said there is a need for injecting more dynamism into the activities of Planning Commission and the Planning ministry. He said it takes time in project implementation in Bangladesh which also raises the project cost. The JICA official said Bangladesh would have to set priority in the selection of projects. He said that JICA is going to provide technical assistance in implementing the Strengthening Public Investment Management System to enhance capacity and skills of the Planning Commission and the Planning Ministry. He also informed that JICA would hold a seminar with Bangladesh this June related to planning. Welcoming the initiative of JICA to enhance the capacity of the Planning Commission and the Planning Ministry, Mustafa Kamal thanked the JICA for their plan to invest $1.20 billion in Bangladesh. Mentioning that the present government is putting due importance on power generation, construction of physical infrastructures, qualitative education, women development, river dredging and poverty alleviation projects, the Planning Minister hoped that JICA would increase investment in these areas in the coming days. Planning Division Secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, Planning Commission member Hedayet Ullah Al Mamun and other high officials of the Planning Ministry were present. – UNB
