DHAKA : The 8th meeting of the Bangladesh-Japan Joint Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Platform was held in the capital on Wednesday, with both sides agreeing to expedite implementation of key infrastructure projects and include several new initiatives to strengthen regional connectivity and promote sustainable investment.

The meeting, held at Hotel InterContinental Dhaka, was attended by Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser A B M Abdus Sattar as the chief guest, according to a press release issued today.

PPP Authority Chief Executive Officer Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser (Secretary rank) Dr Md Shakirul Islam Khan were also present.

The Japanese delegation was led by Special Adviser to the Prime Minister Uno Yoshimasa and included Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi, Assistant Vice Minister for Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Fujita Masakuni, Assistant Vice Minister for International Aviation Nakayama Reiko and senior officials from both countries.

The meeting reviewed the progress of several ongoing PPP projects, including the Kamalapur Multimodal Transport Hub, the operation and maintenance of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Terminal-3, the Outer Ring Road and the Local Bridge Development Project under the Roads and Highways Department.

The two sides agreed to expedite implementation of the revised master plan for the Kamalapur Multimodal Transport Hub and complete the remaining contractual process for Terminal-3 at the earliest through regular monitoring under the joint PPP platform.

The platform also included the Shariatpur-Chandpur Bridge and the Barishal-Bhola Bridge as new priority projects aimed at improving connectivity and supporting economic growth in the country's southern region.

Both sides also expressed interest in the Chattogram City Corporation's Waste-to-Energy Project and the Bhola-Lakshmipur Bridge Project. They further agreed to examine a proposal for the rehabilitation of old railway bridges with Japanese technical assistance.

Speaking at the meeting, PPP Authority CEO Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said the Bangladesh-Japan PPP partnership has evolved into a reliable platform for attracting quality foreign investment.

In his closing remarks, Principal Secretary A B M Abdus Sattar reaffirmed the government's commitment to implementing the priority projects under the joint PPP platform within the stipulated timeframe.