, May 31 -- Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus departed from Tokyo on Saturday heading back home after completing his four-day official visit to Japan.
At 11:20 am Tokyo time, the Chief Advisor left Narita International Airport bound for Dhaka aboard a Singapore Airlines flight, wrapping up an exceptionally fruitful journey, according to remarks made by his Deputy Press Secretary, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, to UNB.
He mentioned that Professor Yunus is set to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:40 PM.
Professor Yunus and the Japanese Prime Minister plan to discuss enhanced collaboration during their meeting on Friday.
During his tour on Friday, on the third day, Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus had a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba.
The two leaders committed to finalizing an Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and Bangladesh within the next few months, aiming to strengthen economic and commercial ties between these two amicable countries.
The Japanese Prime Minister additionally pledged $1.063 billion to Bangladesh aimed at providing budgetary assistance and advancing railway projects.
Subsequently, three agreements via exchanged notes were concluded within the same day. These covered the Development Policy Loan aimed at economic reform and enhancing climate resilience (worth 418 million USD), the loan designated for the Joydebpur-Ishwardi dual-gauge double-track railway initiative (valued at 641 million USD), as well as the grant supporting human development scholarships (amounting to 4.2 million USD).
On the same day, the Chief Adviser spoke at the 'Bangladesh Business Seminar,' during which both nations inked six Memorandums of Understanding covering economic, investment, and various sectors of collaboration.
On Thursday, Bangladesh and Japan inked two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) aimed at improving the capabilities of Bangladeshi workers and easing their job opportunities in Japan, reflecting the nation’s labor shortfall.
Professor Yunus engages in two-way discussions with the Prime Minister of Japan
The accords were finalized during a human resources conference organized by the Bangladesh Embassy in Japan, which took place in Hirakawacho, within Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, with Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus present.
Previously, during the program, representatives from Japan's government and private sector declared their intention to bring in approximately 100,000 employees from Bangladesh within the upcoming half-decade as part of an effort to tackle Japan’s increasing labor shortfall.
On the same day, the Chief Advisor gave the main address at the 30th Nikkei Forum: The Future of Asia.
During the margins of the Nikkei Forum, Professor Yunus met with the ex-Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and encouraged him to back Bangladesh’s application for ASEAN membership.
On Friday, Professor Yunus was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by Soka University for his significant contributions to social innovation and worldwide progress.
Professor Yunus, who was honored with the Nikkei Asia Prize in 2004, reached Tokyo on Wednesday.