Dhaka: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Shinichi Kitaoka will visit Bangladesh on 6-7 August to thoroughly assess the situation on the ground after the Dhaka café tragedy and discuss future cooperation with the Bangladesh leadership.

This is going to be the first visit of JICA President to Bangladesh in recent years and the visit is part of JICA’s commitment to contributing to the development of Bangladesh, said an official at the Economic Relations Division (ERD).

During the visit, Kitaoka will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to discuss issues of mutual interest and security issue will be on the top, said the official.

He will also have meetings with JICA officials in Dhaka and others to understand the situation here.

Seven Japanese people were killed and one was injured in the terrorist attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in the city’s diplomatic zone, Gulshan, on 1 July.

The eight Japanese nationals were consultants engaged in survey work for JICA and they were participating in a preparatory survey related to an infrastructure project to improve the urban transit situation in Dhaka, where traffic is rapidly increasing.

In October last year, another Japanese man was killed in northwest Bangladesh and the government elevated safety measures and JICA has also been alerting all JICA-related personnel to the danger.

On 6 July, the JICA President, in a statement, said they at JICA will continue giving top priority to the safety of JICA personnel and thoroughly assessing the situation in the places where they do their work.