Home and Agriculture Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Wednesday said Japan is one of Bangladesh’s key development partners and a time-tested friend, and its partnership in the country's agriculture sector will be further strengthened in the coming days.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi at his office at the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Bangladesh Secretariat this afternoon.

The adviser said Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has long been supporting the development of Bangladesh’s agriculture sector. “In the days ahead, Japan’s contribution to the advancement of our agriculture will increase,” he noted.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral cooperation in various areas, particularly in agricultural product processing and marketing, post-harvest management and preservation, climate-smart agriculture, irrigation and water management, Bangladesh's participation in the 2027 International Horticulture Expo in Yokohama, meetings of the agriculture-related joint working group, security and law enforcement issues, police reform, traffic management, and matters related to the upcoming national election.Welcoming the ambassador, the adviser said Japan is one of Bangladesh’s closest friends, and this relationship will be further deepened in the future.The ambassador thanked the adviser and invited Bangladesh to participate in the 2027 International Horticulture Expo to be held in Yokohama.The adviser pointed out that Bangladesh is an agriculture-based country while Japan is a leader in agricultural technology.He said Japan could assist Bangladesh in various areas including processing and marketing of agricultural produce, post-harvest management, climate-resilient and smart farming, irrigation, and water management. Japan could also help by setting up modern cold storage facilities and providing cooling vans to preserve produce, he added.He further urged Japan to provide technical support to help Bangladesh produce modern agricultural machinery and equipment domestically.Referring to the agriculture-related joint working group, the ambassador said the last meeting was held in May last year in Tokyo, and the next meeting should be arranged soon.In response, the adviser said the next meeting may be held in Dhaka in October or November this year, and assured full cooperation from Bangladesh.Responding to a query from the ambassador regarding the security situation in Dhaka, the adviser said the law and order situation is steadily improving. “There’s still room for further improvement, and we are working on it,” he said.Asked about the expected situation during the upcoming national elections, the adviser said there is no scope for deterioration of law and order, and instead, further improvement is anticipated.Regarding police capacity and credibility, the adviser said there has been a significant improvement in both since August 5.He also sought Japan’s assistance in modern traffic management and support for the River Police and Coast Guard through the provision of patrol vessels and modern equipment.He also requested Japan to arrange advanced training for more Bangladeshi police personnel in Japan.The ambassador informed the adviser that Japan will nominate a candidate for the Executive Committee of the upcoming Interpol election. In response, the adviser assured full support from Bangladesh for Japan’s candidature.

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka were also present at the meeting.