Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen on Tuesday said former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe played a pivotal role in deepening bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Japan.
The foreign minister came up with the statement when he went to the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka to pay tribute to Abe, who was shot dead during a public event on Friday.
“He (Abe) was a very good friend of Bangladesh and Japan agreed to fund many mega projects here during his rule,” Momen said adding that Mr Abe had played a key role in this regard.
Momen said Abe visited Dhaka at the request of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the agreements on these projects were signed during his visit.
“People of Bangladesh are heartbroken at the tragic death of Mr Abe,” he noted.
Momen said Bangladesh has maintained close ties with Japan since the independence and this tie deepened further during the rule of Mr Abe.
“His death is very shocking and tragic for us,” the minister said adding that it was an unthinkable incident for a country like Japan whose people are well known as law-abiding citizens.
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