Japanese companies are highly interested in investing in Bangladesh amid improved political stability and a favourable investment climate, former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso has told Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Aso, president of the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League (JBPFL), made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with the Bangladesh prime minister at 3pm local time in Japan on Monday, leading a high-level delegation of the parliamentary friendship league.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman thanked Aso for his continued contribution to strengthening friendly relations between Bangladesh and Japan through the league.

Recalling his visit to Japan in 2006, when he was the then senior joint secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Tarique Rahman reminisced about his meeting with Aso. 

The former Japanese prime minister, in turn, recalled his meeting with former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Tarique Rahman said Aso had consistently played a positive and constructive role in developing bilateral relations during his tenure in various important positions, including as Japan's prime minister, deputy prime minister and finance minister. 

His longstanding personal engagement with Bangladesh, he added, had made an important contribution to further strengthening the friendly ties between the two countries.

Both sides emphasised the importance of further strengthening political and economic relations, as well as people-to-people contacts.

Highlighting the prospects for bilateral cooperation, Aso said a large proportion of Bangladesh's population was young and that the country had achieved political stability, creating a favourable environment for investment. Japanese companies were therefore highly interested in investing in Bangladesh, he added.

The prime minister said his government had undertaken several initiatives to create a business-friendly environment for foreign investors, including changes to certain laws. 

He also outlined government initiatives in various sectors, particularly education and skills development.

Against the backdrop of the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Bangladesh and Japan, Tarique Rahman sought Aso's cooperation in increasing Japanese investment in Bangladesh, expanding bilateral trade and strengthening technology transfer.

He also expressed the hope that Japan would continue to support Bangladesh in implementing its development priorities and developing a skilled workforce.

Bangladesh's Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humayun Kabir, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit, Prime Minister's Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Foreign Employment in the Asia-Pacific region Dr Md Shakirul Islam Khan, Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atikur Rahman Rumon, Prime Minister's Research Officer Md Abdus Sattar Patwari and senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office were present at the meeting.

Aso was accompanied by former Japanese minister and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chairman Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tatsunori Ibayashi, and senior members of the Japanese parliament.