In order to recover from the losses in the agriculture sector brought on by the recent flood in the south and southeast of the nation, Agriculture Adviser Lt Gen Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd) has asked Japan for assistance.

“Huge losses have been occurred to various crops including Aman paddy. So, we need assistances from Japan, one of our development partners, to overcome the losses,” he said when Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh IWAMA Kiminori paid a call on him at the latter’s Secretariat office on Wednesday.

In response, the Japanese envoy said his country has the capability to face any kind of natural calamities, assuring Bangladesh of providing aids at different flood affected areas through NGOs under the “Japan Platform”.

“We have already donated 2 million US dollars to the Japan Platform to this purpose,” Kiminori added.

Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, also home adviser, has assured Kiminori of ensuring required securities to the Japanese nationals staying here alongside the projects being implemented by Japan and their industrial units in Bangladesh’s EPZ as the Japanese envoy has sought cooperation to this respect.

The home adviser said his government has been taking multiple measures that include initiating joint drives against illegal firearms and criminals to maintain the law and order.

Kiminori has expressed his country’s keenness to provide Bangladesh Police with necessary training to make the force pro-people.

Mentioning that the internal situation of Myanmar is abnormal, the home adviser said the Myanmar citizens are not feeling safe in their country.

Criminals in Myanmar are manufacturing illegal drugs, which they then smuggle into Bangladesh. Thus, in addition to adopting a more forceful approach to stop drug smuggling, the government has been trying to provide safety and security in the camps for Rohingya people and the communities surrounding them (in Cox’s Bazar), he said.

“The Rohingyas must return to their country, and Myanmar must bring back its nationals,” he continued.