Japan has extended grant aid to improve air pollution monitoring in Bangladesh, marking another step in the growing bilateral partnership between the two nations.
The Exchange of Notes for the grant, titled “Project for the Improvement of Equipment for Air Pollution Monitoring”, was signed in Dhaka by SAIDA Shinichi, ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, and Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, secretary of the Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance.
The grant, amounting to JPY 835 million (approximately USD 5 million), aims to enhance air pollution control efforts in Dhaka and Chattogram,reads a press release.
The signing ceremony was attended by IKUINA Akiko, Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Md. Khayrul Hasan, additional secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. A corresponding Grant Agreement was also signed by ICHIGUCHI Tomohide, Chief Representative of the JICA Bangladesh Office, and Siddiky.
The project will fund advanced equipment to measure and analyze air pollutants, particularly those stemming from vehicle emissions. This initiative is expected to strengthen Bangladesh’s capacity for air quality monitoring and control, addressing the growing environmental challenges in its urban areas.
“Under the ‘Strategic Partnership,’ Japan will continue its cooperation for the development and prosperity of Bangladesh,” stated IKUINA. She emphasized that the collaboration aims to promote peace, stability, and progress in the region and the broader international community.
This partnership underscores Japan’s ongoing commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s sustainable development while reinforcing the longstanding ties between the two countries.
