Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Bangladesh has offered the proposed Exclusive Tourist Zone (ETZ) on the shore of the Bay of Bengal to Japanese investors for investment under Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.

Civil Aviation and Tourism affairs minister of Bangladesh Rashed Khan Menon disclosed such offer when senior executives from Tokyu Fudosan and Mitsui Fudosan, famous resort developers of Japan, met him at Tokyo and shared their experience on establishment of tourism
infrastructures.

Mr. Menon had flown to Tokyo on September 22 and holds a series of discussions with government high-ups and business community there,
according to the press statement issued by public relation officer Shefyaet Hossain in Dhaka Thursday.

Diplomatic analysts say bilateral relations with Japan took a new turn amid visit of Prime Minister Shinzu Abe to Bangladesh early this
month. During the visit, Abe was accompanied by leading business personalities of his country. The Japanese Premier has urged
businessmen of his country to prefer Bangladesh for investment.

The Japanese Premier had pledged Bangladesh for around $ 6.0 billion aid over next few years and sought a ready site for Japanese investors
here in form of Special Economic Zone like Export Processing Zones.

However, the Government of Bangladesh recently announced that an ETZ will be set up at Sabrung in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district to mobilise foreign direct investment (FDI) under PPP initiatives.

According to Bangladesh’s PPP policy, private sector investors could avail three options –BOO, BOOT and BOT — for investment under joint
ventures with the government. BOO stands for Build, Own and Operate while BOOT imply Build, Own, Operate and Transfer; and BOT meaning Build, Own and Transfer.

Bangladesh is a country that maintains above 6.0 percent growth in Gross Domestic Product year-on-year for last one decade and she needs
huge investment in building infrastructures for roads, railway, ports and resort-like industry.

Tourism already boosts at entire Cox’s Bazar district in an unplanned forms with less security arrangements, which inspires the government
to go for a planned infrastructure for tourists.

Among dignitaries, Menon held meetings with Kitagwa, state minister for Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and Kazuyuki Nakane,
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The minister is due to back home on Friday.

BBN/MI/SI-26Sept14-11:09 am (BST)