The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with support from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), successfully organized a five-day Health Sector Business Study Tour in Bangladesh from 14 to 18 June 2026. The tour brought together representatives from eight Japanese companies to learn more about Bangladesh’s healthcare landscape, explore business opportunities, and identify potential areas for collaboration in addressing the country’s pressing health challenges, a press release said.

Bangladesh consistently attracts significant interest from global investors, with a steady rise in the number of Japanese businesses establishing a presence in the country. However, the country faces a complex challenge in the health sector including high mortality burden from NCDs, limited healthcare capacity in terms of facility and human resources, growing mental health concerns and emergency response capacity in times of disasters among others. 

To better understand these challenges and identify opportunities for innovative solutions, JICA invited Japanese companies that specialize in medical equipment, disease test kits, cleaning agent technology, nutritional foods, SNS-based consultation systems, intelligence platforms integrating satellite remote sensing and geospatial data, and AI development services, with the objective of connecting them with relevant stakeholders in Bangladesh. The delegation visited a variety of sites and had discussions with various stakeholders, including the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Bangladesh Medical University, Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital, Continental Hospital, Grameen Health Tech Ltd., GME Group and Moner Bondhu. They made a visit to Ship International Hospital, a Japan-Bangladesh joint venture hospital, including Miup Inc. laboratory. 

In addition to visits within Dhaka, the delegation travelled to Narsingdi District Sadar Hospital, Raipura Upazila Health Complex and Bashgari Community Clinic in Narsigndi District. Through these on-site observations and active dialogue with local authorities and companies, the delegation was introduced to on-the-ground realities and acquired a clearer understanding of the situation. 

The tour also encouraged the participants to consider how their technologies could help address these issues to create healthier life of Bangladeshi people. Additionally, it encouraged them to explore future collaboration through JICA’s Private Sector Partnership and SDGs Business Support (JICA Biz) program, which assists businesses in developing sustainable business models based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

JICA remains committed to strengthening the partnership between Bangladesh and Japan in addressing healthcare challenges and advancing a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive healthcare system. The Health Sector Business Study Tour served as an important platform for fostering connections, sharing knowledge, and exploring future collaboration opportunities between Japanese innovation and Bangladesh’s healthcare and development sectors.