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Japan-Bangladesh E-Bulletin (70th Issue / Jun 28, 2007)
- Making a Bridge between Japan and Bangladesh -
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This E-Bulletin is to share updated information and
stories about Japan-Bangladesh relations with as many
people as possible. If your friends are interested in
subscription, please email us at mail@embjp.accesstel.net
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[1] Recent Event on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
* Japanese Yen Loan Package to Bangladesh (Jun 27, Dhaka)
* Japanese Assistance for Infrastructure Development
Project (Jun 26, Dhaka)
[2] Relay Essay by Japan Development Scholarship (JDS)
Fellow
(Mr. A.S.M Hasan Al Amin, Office of Deputy Commissioner)
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[1] Recent Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
* Japanese Yen Loan Package to Bangladesh (Jun 27, Dhaka)
On June 27, Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Mr. Masayuki Inoue,
called on Honorable Chief Advisor, H.E. Dr. Fakhruddin
Ahmed, and pledged the 29th Japanese Yen Loan Package to
Bangladesh. The Package amounts to 35,996 million Yen
(19,869 million Taka or 291 million Dollars) and comprises
the following three projects:
1. New Haripur Power Plant (360 MW) Development Project
(Part I), 17,767 million Yen (Taka 9,807 mill or USD144
mill equivalent)
2. Dhaka-Chittagong Railway Development Project, 12,916
million Yen（7,129
million Taka or 104 million Dollars）
3. Water Resources Development Project, 5,313 Million Yen
(2,933 million Taka or 43 million Dollars)
The conditions of the loan are the most generous; the
interest rate is 0.01% per annum and the repayment period
is 40 years including a 10-year grace period for the three
loans (This “Minimum Interest Rate Initiative (MIRAI)” was
launched by Japanese Government in April 2006.).
The Japanese government has been sharply increasing the
level of its loan assistance to Bangladesh over the last
few years. Japan’s recent loans are:
1. 35,996 million Yen (290 million Dollars) in 2007
2. 24,906 million yen (201 million Dollars) in 2006
3. 11,345 million yen ($ 92 million Dollars) in 2005
The New Loan Package reflects Japan’s strong intention to
assist Bangladesh in alleviating the recent serious power
shortage by newly constructing a 360 MW power plant near
Dhaka. In addition, some useful technical assistance will
be introduced under the projects, such as capacity
building for the new power plant operation and management
reform of the Bangladesh Railways, which the Bangladeshi
government is implementing now on under policy and
institutional reforms.
The accumulated total commitment of Japan’s loans to
Bangladesh since 1973 is approximately 624 billion Yen
(344 billion Taka or 5 billion Dollars) for 76 projects
including the three projects under the new package.
* Japanese Assistance for Infrastructure Development
Project (Jun 26, Dhaka)
On June 26, the Government of Japan approved the
utilization of Japanese Counterpart Fund, amounting to 23
crore Taka for the Greater Faridpur Infrastructure
Development Project.
The objective of the project is to alleviate poverty in
Greater Faridpur District through improvement of rural
infrastructure encompassing 563km feeder roads, 6,048m
bridge and culverts, 217km rural roads, 62 Growth Centers
and 27 Union Parishad Complexes. The project incorporates
measures that will sustain the benefits of the improved
infrastructure by collaborating with NGOs in extending
training to strengthen organizational capacity of Union
Parishad Complex and Growth Centre. The project is
expected to complete in June 2008.
The Japanese Counterpart Fund is generated from the Debt
Relief Grant Aid (DRGA) and K.R. Food Aid. The Japanese
government provided DRGA for eligible debtor countries
including Bangladesh in return for repayment of their ODA
debts. The Total amount of DRGA provided to Bangladesh was
about 256.8 billion Yen (15,100 crore Taka or 2,334
million Dollars).
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[2] Relay Essay by Japan Development Scholarship (JDS)
Fellow
(Mr. A.S.M Hasan Al Amin, Office of Deputy Commissioner)
I would like to start thanking the authority concerned
especially JICE and ERD, Ministry of Finance, GOB for
selecting me as a ‘JDS Fellow’ for 2007-2008. I did my
Master of Commerce in Accounting with Bachelor of Commerce
(Honors) in Accounting from University of Dhaka. The
social structure and values allure me to join Bangladesh
Civil Service. Now I am working as an Assistant
Commissioner in DC Office, Bhola.
Local government is acknowledged as a highly viable
mechanism through which democratic process and practices
can be established and participatory development is
ensured. It is recognized by all that for the sustenance
and institutionalization of democratic tradition a
participatory and decentralized local government system is
essential prerequisites. Unfortunately, participatory and
decentralized local government system in our country is
still a far cry. Therefore, I choose the research plan as
‘Capacity Building and Restructuring of Union Parishad (a
tier of local government in Bangladesh)’ as research area
in Public Administration at Kobe University.
According to the article 9, 11, 59 and 60 of Bangladesh
constitution there shall be local government bodies at
every administrative level. But unfortunately at present
only union parishad is functioning. The union parishad in
Bangladesh remained weak and perpetually dependent upon
central government through various means of political and
administrative control. The overwhelming majority of the
union parishad chairman lack knowledge and understanding
of the operational procedures and functions of union
parishad. Moreover, the central-local relationship in our
country is authoritative in nature. Thus in the true sense
local government in our country could simply be labeled as
extension of the national government.
Being a member of BCS (Administration) cadre, I have to
work at the field area. In some cases I have to coordinate
among various departments of government as the
representative of the central government. Despite
increased cooperation between the private, public and
non-profit sectors, public administration still remains a
separate profession that needs particular knowledge and
skills. That’s why if I can obtain a Master degree from
Japan I will disseminate my knowledge and skills to
various departments in order to achieve the goal of
government on different issues. The knowledge and
experience that I will gather in Japan will contribute in
the development process of Bangladesh in the following
way:
1. Providing suggestions in the formulation of policies to
ensure decentralized local government institutions;
2. Strengthening the relationship between local and
central government;
3. Enhancing the sources of resource generation of local
government institutions;
4. Ensuring the transparency and accountability of local
government institutions;
5. Providing suggestions to enhance the role and functions
of local government institutions;
6. Advocating the training to the local government
representative as well as the employee to different
national training institutions.
A Master degree in Public Administration at Kobe
University, Japan will surely help me in the process
discussed above, because this Master program will deal
with contemporary policy issues in different countries.
This will encourage students to contribute to the class
discussion by bringing out the similar examples or cases
of the country they are from. This will also help me to
discuss the problems that our country is facing now and
through the discussion I will get various options for
overcoming the problems. Bangladesh and myself thus shall
definitely be benefited from the JDS 2007-2008 program.
(Japan Development Scholarship (JDS))
http://www.jice.org/english/jds/bangladesh_org.html
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