PM leaves Tokyo for Dhaka after 4-hr delay

The aircraft carrying Prime Minister Tarique Rahman departed Japan’s Narita International Airport for Dhaka at around 10:45pm local time on Thursday after a technical fault delayed the flight by nearly four hours, bringing his four-day visit to Japan to a close.

The Prime Minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and members of his accompanying delegation were on board the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

The aircraft was initially scheduled to leave Tokyo at 6:00pm local time and arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 10:35pm Bangladesh time. The technical problem forced a change to the departure schedule.

At around 6:18pm local time, the aircraft left the terminal and taxied towards the runway but stopped before take-off. About 15 minutes 
later, pilot Imam announced that the flight could not proceed because of a technical fault.

The pilot said two engineers were working to resolve the problem and that the flight would resume once the fault was fixed. The aircraft was subsequently brought back from the runway to the tarmac.

The Prime Minister initially waited inside the aircraft for around 30 minutes before spending another three and a half hours in the airport’s VIP lounge.

Earlier on Thursday, Tarique Rahman visited Toyota’s Motomachi Factory in Nagoya, where he toured the vehicle production and assembly facilities and exchanged views with senior company officials.

The visit highlighted Bangladesh’s interest in developing its automobile industry through modern technology, industrial expertise and Japanese investment.

Among those present were Masahiko Moeda, chief executive officer for South Asia at Toyota Motor Corporation, and Shigeru Harada, CEO of the Mobility Division at Toyota Tsusho Corporation, along with Shinichiro Otsuka, the company’s chief operating officer, and other senior officials.

The Prime Minister toured the factory’s production facilities to learn about advanced manufacturing technologies, production management and different stages of vehicle assembly.

His delegation included his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman; Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat; State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit; Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad; Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Overseas Employment in the Asia-Pacific region Dr Md Shakirul Islam Khan; Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atikur Rahman Rumon; and Research Officer Abdus Sattar Patowary, among other officials.

During the four-day visit, the two countries focused on expanding bilateral trade and investment, strengthening energy security, promoting technological cooperation, developing modern transport systems and accelerating industrialisation.

On the third day of the visit, Tarique Rahman called on Japanese companies to invest in five priority sectors in Bangladesh: automobile manufacturing, energy, technology and space cooperation, railways and logistics, and agro-processing and manufacturing.

Attracting Japanese investment and drawing on Japan’s technological capabilities and industrial expertise were key objectives of the visit. Against this backdrop, the tour of Toyota’s production facilities was significant for Bangladesh’s ambitions to develop its automobile industry.