The decision to recall Bangladesh’s ambassador to Japan, Mohammad Daud Ali, to Dhaka during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to Japan is an internal matter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed has said.

She made the remarks on Saturday in response to questions from journalists after an event at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital.

The event, titled “National Position Paper Unveiling and Dialogue,” was organised by ActionAid ahead of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP31.

Shama said the decision was neither a national nor an international issue, describing it as a standard administrative procedure.

“When the Foreign Ministry decides to summon an ambassador, that is entirely its own decision,” she said.

Highlighting Japan’s longstanding role as a major development and trade partner of Bangladesh, Shama said relations between the two countries dated back to Bangladesh’s Liberation War and had grown stronger over the years. She added that bilateral ties would further improve under the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government.

Describing the prime minister’s upcoming visit to Japan as highly significant, Shama said the two countries could sign agreements and memorandums of understanding covering several sectors, including infrastructure, energy, technology, garments, education and healthcare.

She expressed optimism that the visit would expand cooperation and create opportunities for new Japanese investment in Bangladesh.

Shama also referred to a new law introduced at the prime minister’s initiative to establish Bangladesh Invest, saying the initiative would be used to attract additional Japanese investment into the country.

Meanwhile, as Ambassador Daud Ali was to remain away from Tokyo during the prime minister’s visit, M. Nazrul Islam, secretary for bilateral affairs at the Foreign Ministry, was sent to the Japanese capital with special responsibility for overseeing diplomatic matters and coordinating arrangements for the visit.

At the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Tarique Rahman is scheduled to make an official visit to Japan from October 26 to 29.

Shama expressed hope that the visit would help open new avenues for investment and strengthen Bangladesh-Japan relations.