Three to four memorandums of understanding are likely to be signed during Bangladesh prime minister Tarique Rahman’s upcoming visit to Japan, scheduled for October 26–29, foreign secretary Asad Alam Siam said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign secretary said Bangladesh was discussing around eight MoUs with Japan.

‘We are discussing around eight MoUs and hope that three to four of them will be signed,’ he said.

Draft memorandums or cooperation on agriculture, fisheries, human resource development and skills enhancement, civil aviation, trade, environmental protection and modernisation of local government are still under discussion, he said, expressing hope that many of them would be signed during the visit.

The foreign secretary said infrastructure cooperation would be discussed at the bilateral meeting between the two prime ministers.

Cooperation in infrastructure, including the metro rail project, would be among the issues on the agenda, he said.

The two sides would also discuss reducing interest rates on loans taken from Japan, he added.

Asked whether the two prime ministers would issue a joint statement or a joint communique after their meeting, Siam said a joint statement was under discussion.

‘Discussions and negotiations continue until the last moment. We hope to issue a joint statement following successful talks,’ he said.

During the visit, the prime minister is scheduled to attend several government and private-sector meetings and visit important facilities, according to the preliminary itinerary.

On October 27, the second day of the visit, Tarique Rahman will hold high-level bilateral talks with the Japanese prime minister at the latter’s office and attend a luncheon hosted by the Japanese leader.

Other proposed engagements include meetings with the Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League, the chairman of the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation, the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the president of the Japan External Trade Organisation and the chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

The prime minister is also scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Forum and meet with Japanese business leaders.

The itinerary includes visits to an LNG terminal and a power plant in Futtsu city in Chiba, the headquarters of Uniqlo and a Toyota factory in Nagoya.

Asked about the opening of Japan’s labour market, the foreign secretary said Bangladesh was primarily seeking Japanese cooperation in human resource development.

‘For now, discussions will remain focused on this cooperation, which could create opportunities for employment in Japan in the future,’ he said.

Prime Minister’s wife Zubaida Rahman will accompany him during the visit.

The delegation will also include finance minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, adviser to the finance and planning ministries Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, state minister for foreign affairs Humaiun Kobir, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Anindya Islam Amit, adviser to the posts, telecommunications and information technology ministry Rehan Asif Asad, Investment Bangladesh Authority chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, and the prime minister’s special assistant for employment in the Asia-Pacific region Shakirul Islam Khan.