Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has revealed plans to focus on the development of the Matarbari Port in Bangladesh as part of his ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ plan. The deep-sea port is located in the Cox's Bazar district and is being developed with the help of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Japan's plans for the region include "multilayer connectivity" as part of its larger infrastructure development efforts in the Bay of Bengal and Northeast India.
The Matarbari Port is expected to reduce pressure on Chittagong port and cater to the future needs of Bangladesh and India's Northeast. Japan will hold conferences involving the governments of the Northeastern Region of India and Bangladesh, as well as the private sector, to promote economic growth and attract Japanese companies to the region. Tokyo's efforts also include the development of roads in Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura, which will connect to Japanese-assisted projects in Bangladesh.
The Bay of Bengal-Northeast India industrial value chain concept is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the region and beyond. As the leading country in the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), Japan has been working closely with India to support the development of the landlocked Northeastern region through the Japan-India Act East Forum. The forum was established in 2017 to develop the Northeastern region of India and promote connectivity within the region and between this region and Southeast Asia. The forum reflects the synergy between India’s Act East Policy and Japan’s vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Japan aims to create a comprehensive concept for regional development and economic growth by promoting private investment and enhancing connectivity infrastructure. The development of an industrial value chain connecting the Bay of Bengal and the North-Eastern region of India is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the region and beyond.
In addition to the Matarbari Port, Japan is also working with Bangladesh on improving connectivity in the Bay of Bengal region through the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B) initiative. Japan has launched a Joint Study Group on the possibility of an Economic Partnership Agreement with Bangladesh to further enhance economic cooperation.
These efforts come as Bangladesh is set to graduate from being classified as a least developed country to a developing country. With these plans, Japan is looking to support the growth of the entire region and promote economic development, which will benefit everyone involved.
