Japan's ambassador to Bangladesh on Tuesday reaffirmed his country's commitment to completing a children's library designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando at the Bangladesh National Museum during a courtesy call on the cultural affairs minister.

Ambassador SAIDA Shinichi met Minister for Cultural Affairs Nitai Roy Chowdhury at the minister's office in the Bangladesh Secretariat, with discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cultural ties, renewing historical agreements, and exploring further cooperation in heritage preservation, according to a press release from the ministry.

Chowdhury said Japan had remained a trusted and steadfast partner of Bangladesh since its independence in 1971, describing the relationship as having matured over five decades into a partnership based on mutual respect and shared values. He acknowledged Japan's continued support for Bangladesh's socio-economic development.

The two sides reviewed a cultural agreement signed in 1982 and a cultural exchange program signed in Tokyo in 2005. Chowdhury proposed updating and renewing the 2005 programme through diplomatic channels to reflect current government structures and institutional frameworks.

The meeting focused on the progress of the construction of the Bangladesh Children’s Library at the National Museum premises, which is being built based on a memorandum of understanding signed with Tadao Ando Architect & Associates on April 27, 2023.

Chowdhury thanked Ando and the Japanese government for the initiative, saying the facility would be a lasting symbol of friendship between the two countries and help foster creativity among children. He asked the Japanese embassy for further assistance in completing the project on schedule.

Ambassador Shinichi paid homage to the cultural heritage, traditional arts, and literature of Bangladesh and reiterated Japan’s participation in the future editions of the Asian Art Biennale being hosted by Bangladesh.

He also expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in the areas of preservation of cultural properties, development of museums, conservation of archaeology, and capacity building in libraries and archives.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the culture and foreign affairs ministries of Bangladesh and representatives of the Japanese embassy in Dhaka. The two sides exchanged gifts at the end of the meeting.