【Photo Diary】 Visit to Bangladesh to Meet with Prime Minister Hashina
Published on October 19, 2023
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Bangladesh from September 2 to 6, 2023, in my capacity as chairman of The Nippon Foundation and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination.
During my stay in Dhaka, I invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the second National Leprosy Conference that the Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative is co-organizing in the capital later this year with Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prime Minister Hasina said she would be willing to attend.
I also discussed with Bangladesh government and civil leaders the foundation’s humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees taking refuge in Bangladesh at the Cox’s Bazar camp and other areas after fleeing the conflict-stricken western Myanmar state of Rakhine. Almost one million Rohingya are estimated to be in Bangladesh.
[September 3, Dhaka, Bangladesh]
On arrival in Dhaka, I underwent a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test for the novel coronavirus, still a must for entry into some countries.
[September 4, Dhaka, Bangladesh]
Bikes and rickshaws crowd Dhaka’s roads during the morning rush hour.
With Dr. Bardan Jung Rana, WHO representative to Bangladesh, with a banner reading "Don't Forget Leprosy," a campaign that I initiated in 2021 to ensure that the disease is not overlooked amid the coronavirus pandemic.
At a working lunch with Dr. Hussain Zillur Rahman, chairman of BRAC（Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee）, a Dhaka-based NGO with which The Nippon Foundation has collaborated in providing humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. We recently completed the construction of three two-story prefabricated movable steel structures and the building or repairing of 200 one-story structures at the Cox’s Bazar camp to provide schooling for Rohingya refugee children.
With Minister of Health and Welfare Zahedan Maleque (third from left) and members of his staff, together with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Kiminori Iwama (far left).
With Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, who previously served as Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan. Mr. Momen expressed thanks for the humanitarian assistance provided by the Japanese government and The Nippon Foundation for Rohingya refugees and asked for greater Japanese involvement in the issue.
At dinner with Saber Hossain Chowdhury, MP.
[September 5, Dhaka, Bangladesh]
With Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban as we pose with a "Don't Forget Leprosy" banner. She accepted my invitation to attend the second National Leprosy Conference in Dhaka later this year that the Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative (SLI) is co-organizing in the capital with Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Concerning the Rohingya issue, I told the prime minister that The Nippon Foundation would provide US$3 million to help refugees now on Bhasan Char to become self-sufficient through technical, farming and fishing training.
Bhasan Char is an island located about 60 kilometers from the Bangladesh mainland. The government started relocating refugees there from the Cox’s Bazar camp in late 2020. According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly 27,000 Rohingya refugees were living on the island as of June this year and the government plans to relocate up to 100,000 refugees there in phases.
