Japan elects Bangladesh for new OSA to deepen defence ties

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Japan elects Bangladesh for new OSA to deepen defence ties​

Nurul Islam Hasib
Publish : 26 Aug 2023, 17:01

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori on Saturday said Bangladesh was elected one of the four candidate countries of the newly established Official Security Assistance (OSA) to deepen military ties following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's epoch-making visit to Tokyo in April.

"This shows how much importance Japan attaches to Bangladesh," he said while speaking at a roundtable on materializing Japan-Bangladesh strategic partnership: diplomatic, economic, and people-to-people relations at the embassy in Dhaka.

The Pan-Asia Research Institute (PARI), a new Japan-based think tank, organized the roundtable with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam as the chief guest.
Bangladesh and Japan relations witnessed a significant jump in the last decade. In 2014, during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, it was elevated to a comprehensive partnership level. During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit this April, the partnership was elevated further to strategic level.

Economic cooperation, cultural cooperation, and peace and stability are the main components of the strategic partnership.

The ambassador said for peace and stability, Japan established the cooperation framework styled OSA for the benefit of armed forces and the regional organizations of like-minded countries.

In addition to that, he said, they had started the negotiations with Bangladesh on an agreement concerning the 'Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology'. The discussion is going on in a positive manner, he said.

The roundtable was organized to, what the PARI Executive Director and Professor of Japanese studies at Dhaka University Dr Abdullah-Al-Mamun said, find out challenges and ways to materialize the Japan-Bangladesh strategic partnership.

What is OSA?​

According to the Japanese foreign ministry, as Japan is finding itself in the midst of the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II, it is essential for us to drastically strengthen our own defence capabilities as well as enhance the security and deterrence capabilities of like-minded countries in order to prevent unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, ensure the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region in particular, and create a security environment desirable for Japan.

"In order to achieve this objective, apart from Official Development Assistance (ODA) which aims for the economic and social development of developing countries, Japan has decided to establish a new cooperation framework Official Security Assistance (OSA) for the benefit of armed forces and other related organizations by providing materials and equipment as well as assistance for infrastructures development based on the security needs of the countries."

OSA is referred to in the new National Security Strategy approved by the Cabinet on December 16, 2022.

This OSA issue was mentioned in the joint statement after Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Sheikh Hasina's meeting in April.

Prime Minister Hasina acknowledged the establishment of the OSA by Japan for the benefit of armed forces and other related organizations of like-minded countries for the purpose of deepening security cooperation and looked forward to future cooperation under this framework.

The two prime ministers welcomed recent frequent port calls at Chittaong by vessels of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) and the high-level mutual visits of the Japan Self-Defence Forces and Bangladesh Armed Forces.

In light of the Memorandum of Cooperation and Exchanges formulated between the defence authorities from the two sides, they concurred to continue to promote security cooperation such as mutual visits by vessels and aircraft, unit-to-unit exchange, training programs, and goodwill exercises.

Recognizing the future potential, they welcomed the commencement of negotiations on an agreement concerning the Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology.

Prime Minister Kishida explained Japan’s efforts for fundamentally reinforcing its defence capabilities and strengthening diplomatic efforts, as illustrated in the new National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and Defense Buildup Program.

Prime Minister Hasina shared Bangladesh’s plan and initiative for further modernizing its armed forces under the Forces Goal 2030.

Both prime ministers acknowledged the efforts by both countries to contribute to their respective regional security.

During the roundtable, the ambassador also highlighted the economic as well as people-to-people connectivity.

He said to deepen economic cooperation, the two countries established the Joint Study Group on the possibility of a Japan-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in April 2023.

The third terminal of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and the entire route of the Dhaka metro rail, both constructed with Japan's support, would be inaugurated in October.

The ambassador said they had already dispatched language teachers as part of the cultural cooperation. Japanese overseas cooperation volunteers (JOCVs) will also be dispatched soon.

He said they were also trying to start the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) program in Dhaka as part of hiring human resources.

Step up efforts for Rohingya​

State Minister Shahriar Alam thanked Japan for its contribution to Bangladesh's development.
He said Shinzo Abe's visit to Dhaka in 2014 and Prime Minister Hasina's visit to Japan in 2023 have brought special momentum to the relationship between the two countries.

Trade and investment between the countries have increased. For the first time, two-way trade has crossed the $4 billion mark, he said.

He said that the work to enhance connectivity between Dhaka and India's north-eastern region was going on with Japan's support.

"We expect that Japan will step up its efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis with Myanmar," he said.

President of the apex business body Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Mahbubul Alam also spoke at the roundtable, among others. Bangladesh ambassador to Japan Shahabuddin Ahmed sent a message on the occasion.

Yuji Ando, country representative JETRO, Dhaka Office, is the president of the new PARI.

https://www.dhakatribune.com/amp/bangladesh/foreign-affairs/323574/japan-elects-bangladesh-for-new-osa-to-deepen

 

[saif]

He said that the work to enhance connectivity between Dhaka and India's north-eastern region was going on with Japan's support.

Japan wants to use our infrastructure to develop India's North-Eastern region. Japan's development program for Bangladesh is actually aimed at developing India's landlocked North East. It's a strategic trap and Bangladesh has stepped into it.