Ahead of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s expected month-end Japan visit, diplomatic sources in Tokyo have told The Hindu that they are planning to create an ‘industrial value chain’ that will connect northeast Indian states with the Bay of Bengal region via Chittagong’s Matarbari deep-sea port that Japan has been funding.
Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh had earlier announced that Prime Minister Rahman had received an invitation from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to visit Japan for four days. The visit is yet to be officially announced by either side, but The Hindu has learnt that the bilateral agenda for the visit is being finalised, and the Maheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative is part of the agenda. As part of the preparation, PM Rahman visited Matarbari in August, where he was briefed about the further requirements of the project.
The port is in focus as PM Rahman is likely to seek Japanese financial support for 2026-’31 for a number of projects, including the Matarbari industrial, port and commercial hub.
In exclusive remarks shared with The Hindu , a senior diplomatic source in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Matarbari port can ‘transform’ Bangladesh into an industrial hub and enhance regional connectivity. “The Matarbari Port holds the potential to transform Bangladesh into a regional industrial hub,” said a senior Japanese diplomatic source. “A model to emulate is Bangkok, which led regional economic growth through its ports and the Southern Economic Corridor,” said the official in a written response to The Hindu, referring to the Thailand-Cambodia-Vietnam developmental corridor project that is assisted by Japan with funding and infrastructure plans. Japanese officials, however, have been largely positive about long-term India-Bangladesh dynamics and said, “Enhancing connectivity from Bangladesh to northeast India and neighbouring countries will further reinforce the utility of this port”.
