Newly elected JBCCI board eyes deeper Japan-Bangladesh trade ties
The Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JBCCI) has elected a new board for the 2026–2028 term, with Kazuiki Kataoka taking over as president as the bilateral business community seeks to deepen trade and investment ties.
The new board was introduced at JBCCI’s 21st Annual General Meeting (AGM), held at Hotel Lakeshore in Dhaka on October 4. Around 240 members, board officials and guests from different organisations attended the event.
Outgoing President Tareq Rafi Bhuiyan (Jun) highlighted the longstanding economic partnership between Bangladesh and Japan and called for timely ratification and effective implementation of the Japan-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
He also stressed the need for a predictable and investor-friendly business environment, stronger business connectivity, policy advocacy and greater participation of women in business.
The JBCCI president noted that the chamber, established in 2004, has played an important role in connecting the two countries’ business communities.
Secretary General Maria Howlader said JBCCI’s membership had increased to 391 during the 2025–26 fiscal year. She highlighted the chamber’s activities in support of the EPA, policy advocacy, government engagement, business networking, investment promotion and women entrepreneurs.
She called for greater focus on EPA readiness, resolving investor-related issues, sector-specific business matching, regular Japanese business delegations and stronger participation of young business leaders.
The new board, elected on September 23, 2026, will serve until September 2028.
Kazuiki Kataoka has been elected president, while Abu Zaman Md Tariqul Islam and Syed Samiul Huq will serve as vice presidents. Rabiul Alam has been elected secretary general and Kenji Kimura treasurer.
Oliver Kutz will serve as joint secretary general, while Saumitra Kumar Mutsuddi has been elected joint treasurer.
The board also includes Tareq Rafi Bhuiyan (Jun), Hiroaki Oura, Kabir Ahmed, Atsushi Hirakuri, AKM Ahmedul Islam Babu, Kenichiro Kawamoto, Farzanah Chowdhury, Hironori Yamanaka and Mudassir Murtaza Moin as directors. Manabu Sugawara and Abdul Haque have been elected advisers to the board.
In his remarks, newly elected Secretary General Rabiul Alam said Bangladesh-Japan relations were moving towards increased trade and investment and pledged to build on the foundations laid by the previous leadership.
President Kazuiki Kataoka identified two key priorities for his tenure: highlighting Japan’s contributions to Bangladesh through trade, investment, infrastructure and business, and making better use of the knowledge and expertise within JBCCI’s nearly 400 member companies.
He said the chamber would seek to expand seminars, knowledge-sharing sessions, networking and other member-driven initiatives.
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi, the chief guest at the AGM, congratulated the incoming leadership and praised the chamber’s growth from just over 20 members to nearly 400.
The ambassador stressed the importance of good governance, institutional relevance and tangible outcomes for JBCCI members, while welcoming Bangladesh’s increasing focus on attracting foreign direct investment.
He said Japan remained a trusted development and business partner of Bangladesh and described the Economic Partnership Agreement signed in February as an important milestone in bilateral economic relations.
Saida also expressed optimism that Japanese investment initiatives currently in the pipeline would materialise and said high-level exchanges between the two countries could further strengthen their strategic and business partnership.
The ambassador called for greater industrial diversification, development of upstream industries and removal of unnecessary regulatory barriers and red tape to create more employment opportunities for Bangladesh’s younger generation.
He also stressed the importance of a transparent and sustainable relationship between business and politics for long-term economic development.
The AGM also approved the appointment of Shafiq Mizan Rahman & Augustine, Chartered Accountants, as JBCCI’s auditor for the 2026–27 fiscal year.
The chamber said the new leadership would focus on strengthening JBCCI’s role as a platform for expanding trade, investment and business cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan.
