The Daily Corporate Desk
Tokyo, 28 October 2026: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has urged Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo to expand its investment in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector, with particular emphasis on man-made fibres, technical textiles and sustainable garment manufacturing.
The prime minister made the call during a meeting with a delegation led by Tadashi Yanai, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Fast Retailing Co Ltd, the parent company of Uniqlo, in Tokyo on Wednesday. The meeting took place at 10:30 am local time, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the discussion, Tarique Rahman appreciated Uniqlo’s confidence in Bangladesh and its parent company’s longstanding business engagement with the country. He encouraged the company to explore further investment opportunities in higher-value garment production and emerging textile segments.
The discussions also covered potential cooperation in technology transfer, workforce skills development, product innovation, advanced manufacturing systems and environmentally friendly production processes. These areas are increasingly important as Bangladesh seeks to diversify its apparel exports and strengthen its position in global garment supply chains.
Tarique Rahman assured the Japanese delegation that the government was prepared to support an expansion of Uniqlo’s operations in Bangladesh. He highlighted the government’s willingness to facilitate land arrangements, investment approvals and other administrative clearances required for potential expansion.
Both sides also reaffirmed the importance of implementing the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), expressing optimism that it would help deepen bilateral trade and investment relations.
The Bangladesh delegation included Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Invest Bangladesh Authority Chairman Ashik Chowdhury and Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman, among other senior officials.
The Japanese delegation included Fast Retailing Director Takeshi Okazaki and Group Senior Executive Officer Yoshihiro Kunii.
The meeting highlights Bangladesh’s efforts to attract Japanese investment and encourage greater diversification within its export-oriented garment industry. However, no specific new investment amount or formal commitment from Uniqlo was announced in the reports of the meeting.
