DHAKA: Japan extended grant assistance worth US$60,291 to Bangladesh National Zoo for improvement of audio-visual equipment for educational exhibition under the scheme of Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects.

The contract for this project was signed on Thursday at the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka by H.E. Mr. Masato Watanabe, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh and Dr. S.M. Nazrul Islam, Curator of Bangladesh National Zoo. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister Abe underlined that the mutual understanding between the peoples of Japan and Bangladesh should be deepened further in various fields on the occasion of two Prime Ministers mutual visits in 2014. In terms of strengthening longtime amicable bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Japan further, the Government of Japan made a study on additional cooperation between two countries in the field of biodiversity and wild animal conservation to improve conservation of endangered Royal Bengal Tigers raised in Bangladesh National Zoo. This project contributes diversification of education on biology of wild animals and environment in Bangladesh through improvement of audio-visual equipment including signboards and speaker system in the Zoo. 

At the signing ceremony, Ambassador Watanabe expressed that as the two Prime Ministers underlined the mutual understanding between the peoples of Japan and Bangladesh should be deepened further in various fields. In this regard, the Ambassador stressed the importance of our cooperation in the field of culture and higher education including this project.

Dr. S.M. Nazrul Islam expressed his gratitude to the people of Japan and Japanese Government and said he is pleased to be able to improve audio-visual equipment in the Zoo so that promising various types of education in the field of biology of wild animals and environment can be developed and received by students and researchers in Bangladesh.

BDST: 1435 HRS, MAR 23, 2017
AP/SMS