DHAKA: Deputy Foreign Minister of Japan Shinsuke Sugiyama is scheduled to pay an official visit to Bangladesh on February 5 to attend the first-ever Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between the two countries.

The whole gamut of Bangladesh-Japan bilateral relations is likely to be discussed during his official meeting with the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh M Shahidul Haque.

During the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Japan on May 25-28 of 2014 and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Bangladesh on September 6-7 of 2014, both Prime Ministers agreed to hold regular FOC on bilateral relations and other issues at the foreign secretary level.

As agreed upon, the FOC would take place regularly in future.

The FOC is being viewed as an important component of the “Comprehensive Partnership” established between two countries during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Japan in May 2014.

During the visit, Deputy Foreign Minister Sugiyama is expected to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP, Prime Minister’s Advisor on International Affairs Dr Gowher Rizvi and Senior Secretary of Prime Minister’s Office M Abul Kalam Azad. 

BDST: 1745 HRS, FEB 02, 2015