Newsletter No. 413
News-Analysis
October 19, 2006

 

Two items on Japan-Bangladesh relations have appeared. First, the intrepid reporter Syful Islam of the New Nation once again takes aim at the activities of the Japan-Bangladesh Group. Second, MOFA welcomes the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Professor Muhammad Yunus.

YET ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO DECEIVE: JAPAN-BANGLADESH GROUP NOW BRINGS GUINEANS
By Syful Islam

The Japan-Bangladesh Group, a so-called business institute, has plotted another business with some Guinean ministers after its business with Japanese people proved to be fraudulent activities. To this effect the group on Tuesday brought a four-member delegation of the African country Guinea comprising two ministers and two government officials in Dhaka. The delegation members are Trade and Industry Minister M. Balde Kazalia, Home Minister Sampil Monssa, Ambassador of Guinea to Malaysia Simpil Mohd, and Kouyate N. Famara.

The Japan-Bangladesh Group in a press release claimed that the group will establish a bilateral business relationship with the Guinean people in the jute, textile and power sectors. According to them, the delegation will meet several ministers, including Jute and Textile Minister Shahjahan Siraj and Minister for Power Ukil Abdus Sattar.

It is mentionable that the Group took several projects in the last few years involving some businessmen from Japan but none of those got off the ground. Some of those projects were: the Japan Bangladesh IT Expo 2006; a wrestling competition with the participation of world renowned wrestlers; marketing of heat insulators; marketing of payroll and attendance system software; investment in the jute, textile and bamboo sectors; and the establishment of a language-training academy.

Sources said that despite the hyper-publicity of different programmes by the group, none of the projects took shape, but some Japanese and Bangladeshi nationals were financially deceived by the group’s chairman, Salim Prodhan.

Needless to say, most other business delegations of Japan who came by the invitation of the Japan- Bangladesh Group also met with Jute and Textile Minister Shahjahan Siraj and with different investment proposals, but none of those have seen light of the day.

The group is also doing illegal banking business with a license from the Department of Cooperatives under the name and style of Japan-Bangladesh Credit Cooperative Society. But according to the central bank officials, the group cannot do banking business without securing a license from Bangladesh Bank.

PRESS SECRETARY STATEMENT ON THE AWARD OF THE 2006 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE TO MUHAMMAD YUNUS
October 13, 2006

The Government of Japan congratulates Professor Muhammad Yunus, Managing-Director of Grameen Bank, and the Bank for being awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

Professor Yunus started a micro-credit project for poor people and made an epoch-making contribution to give them a basis for self-reliance via Grameen Bank which he established. We highly praise that he has presented a new model for poverty eradication to the world and made a great contribution to poverty eradication at the international level.

Again, The Government wishes to extend its heartfelt words of congratulations and delight, as it believes the 2006 Nobel Prize awarded to Professor Yunus and Grameen Bank will give further confidence and pride to all the people in Bangladesh.