TMCnet News
Japanese PM Taro Aso phones Hasina, offers $ 440 million credit (updated)Dhaka, Jan 16, 2009 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) -- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso made a telephone call Friday afternoon to Sheikh Hasina and congratulated her on the assumption of Prime Minister?s office. The Japanese Prime Minister described the election victory of Awami League under her leadership as a significant event. Taro Aso offered a loan package of US$ 440 million (40 Billion Yen) for power plant project, power distribution project and bridge improvement project. Welcoming the offer, Hasina sought more cooperation from Tokyo in power, agriculture and communications sectors. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the tourism sector in Bangladesh will be further developed and requested the Japanese premier to encourage Japanese tourists to travel in greater numbers to Bangladesh. She thanked Taro Aso for the phone call and also for sending election observers by the Japan-Bangladesh Friendship League. Hasina also thanked Japan?s role during the Bangladesh?s Liberation War in 1971 and its contributions to the post-war reconstruction of the country. Japanese Ambassador Masayuki Inoue was present during the telephone conversation. |