Sponsored by the Network of Bangladeshi Researchers in Japan (NBRJ), the 2nd International Conference on Japan-Bangladesh Research and Practice (JBRP) 2023 ended at August 12 2023 at Nanzan University located in the largest city in the Chubu region and the major industrial hub in Japan, at the outset of the great holiday (Obon festival) season. About 26 papers under 9 sessions were presented around four multidisciplinary domains (namely, 1. Business, Huminites, and Social Science, 2. Agricultural Science, 3. Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Public Health, 4. Natural Science, Engineering, and ICT) mostly from Bangladeshi (origin) researchers working in Japan.  Apart from those sessions and the best presentation award, an insightful keynote, a tutorial session, and a panel discussion were also organized. Earlier, the conference was formally opened by Professor Kazumitsu Minamikawa, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, Nanzan University in August 11 morning 2023.  

 It is worth mentioning that JBRP is a flagship event organized by the Network of Bangladesh Researchers in Japan (NBRJ, https://atomic-temporary-193405763.wpcomstaging.com). The NBRJ was formally established on August 12, 2022, through a general meeting held at the Tokyo International Forum at its first annual workshop inaugurated by H.E. Mr. Shahabuddin Ahmed, Ambassador of Bangladesh in Japan in Tokyo. NBRJ aims to bring together Bangladeshi (origin) researchers working at different universities, research organizations, industries, and corporate sectors across Japan. The conference continues last year’s workshop (https://nbrjdotjp.wordpress.com/workshop2022/) with a new name and look. JBRP provides a platform for researchers across different scientific fields to share their achievements for creating multidisciplinary research collaboration opportunities and learning from each other, and make a bridge to achieve NBRJ’s vision to be the leading research and policy advocacy group in Japan with interdisciplinary skills dedicated to inform and leverage the development of Bangladesh through promoting Japan-Bangladesh scientific and development cooperation, intellectual engagement, and policy advocacy. 

The keynote titled “Uncovering Knowledge” was delivered by Professor Sharifu Ura, Kitami Institute of Technology, Hokkaido who leads KIT’s Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Lab and directs the Innovative Manufacturing Center for Education and Research. In the talk, the speaker uncovers knowledge, presents an epistemology-based scheme of eliciting knowledge in simple terms, and shows that knowledge becomes more meaningful when different forms of knowledge are integrated into a knowledge map and co-creation through transdisciplinary problem-solving activities by researchers and practitioners. 

 In the tutorial session titled `From Data to Knowledge; how machine learning (ML) technologies may help in your discipline`, the speakers had a comprehensive discussion and useful tips about ML techniques across the disciplines with applications. The applications discussed in the tutorial include digital health care, sensors and system design, and evidence-based Social Science Research. The panel of speakers include Dr. Md Shoaib Bhuiyan, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Dr. Ashir Ahmed, Kyushu University and SocialTech Japan, Dr. Mahfuzul Islam, Kyoto University, and Dr. Mohammad Abdul Malek, University of Tsukuba. The tutorial session was organized by Dr. Md Shoaib Bhuiyan, a Professor at the Suzuka University of Medical Science’s Health Data Science Department and in its Graduate School of Medical Science.

On the second day, at the end of all technical sessions but before the award and closing event, a panel discussion was organized to provide a platform for the researchers to learn how their excellent research outcome can be applied to solve various social problems and policymaking for Bangladesh.  The topic of the discussion was “Collaboration between Bangladeshi researchers and practitioners for JICA’s Projects/Programs in Bangladesh”.  After having a background presentation on JICA projects and program operations in Bangladesh by Mr. Syed Nasir Ershad, the Economic Minister, The Embassy of Bangladesh in Tokyo, four panelists, namely, Dr. Chowdhury Mahbubul Alam, Fukuoka Women’s University, Dr. Tofael Ahamed, University of Tsukuba, Dr.  Salma Akter, Kyoto University, and Dr.  Shoaib Bhuiyan, Suzuka University of Medical Science shed their reflections about how the collaborations between researchers and practitioners across the sectors (public, private, and NGOs) can better contribute across the domains to create an ‘evidence base’ for qualitative improvements of future projects and programs in Bangladesh. The major suggestion that came up in the discussion includes creating a joint fund for developing human capital and accelerating innovation where NBRJ researchers can better contribute to the path of ongoing Bangladesh development journey from a lower middle-income country to an upper middle-income country by 2031, and an advanced country by 2041. The Panel discussion was organized and moderated by Dr. Mohammad Abdul Malek, Associate Professor of Development Economics and South/Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Tsukuba, and the founding Coordinator for NBRJ.

 This year, the committee received 41 abstracts from universities and research institutes in Japan and Bangladesh representing cutting-edge results from different research fields. In the end, 26 presentations were presented in a two-day program, and several presentations were nominated for awards based on the votes from the conference committee members and session chairs. While the best presentation and special presentation went, respectively to Dr. Sadequl Islam, Nagoya City University, and Dr. Shofiqur Rahman, Immunology Research Institute in Gifu, the young presentation awards went to Kazi Faiz Alam, University of Tsukuba, Raul R. Rodriguez, Kyoto University, and Forhad Hossain, Kyushu University. 

The NBRJ-JBRP 2023 committee members included Dr. Khandakar Mizanur Rahman, Nanzan University as General Chair, Dr. Mohammad Abdul Malek, University of Tsukuba and Dr. Mahfuzul Islam, Kyoto University respectively as Technical Program Co-Chairs, Dr. Mehadi Aman, Sharp Corporation, Dr. Shamim Jubair Ahmed, The University of Tokyo and Dr.  Tania Afroj, Kobe University, respectively as Organizing Committee Co-Chairs, and Dr. Saad Khan, Santec Corporation as Local Arrangement Chair. The two-day conference sponsored by NBRJ, and also supported by Nanzan University, gets a good success which is the outcome of the hard work and efforts of the authors, reviewers, committee members, and session organizers/chairs.  

 It was also announced that the NBRJ-JBRP 2024 will be organized at the University of the Ryukyus, located in Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan, and Professor Md. Amzad Hossain will act as General Chair for the next conference. 

The formal letter from the committee coordinator Professor Malek is here.

A network of Bangladeshi (origin) Researchers in Japan (NBRJ), with about 60 members of faculties and researchers of Bangladeshi (origin) working in Japanese universities, research institutes, and industries, was formally kicked off by its first in-person flagship annual event, multidisciplinary research workshop at 50 years of Bangladesh, in Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo on 12 August 2022. The network was initiated earlier by a zoom-based network meeting on 12 March 2021 during the Covid 19 pandemic.

The NBRJ sets a vision to be known as the leading research and policy advocacy group in Japan with interdisciplinary research skills dedicated to informing and leveraging the development of Bangladesh through promoting Japan-Bangladesh scientific and development cooperation, intellectual engagement, and policy advocacy. We gradually envision symbiosis (共生) and coexistence (共存) with Japanese researchers and research bodies that have similar interests and goals.

At its annual event, the general meeting with about 30 members is organized, and a working committee is formed and planned to formulate its bylaws, complete society registration, and like. It is also planned that the second annual flagship workshop will be held in August 2023 at Nanzan University, Nagoya, to be chaired by Professor Khondakar Mizanur Rahman.

In its first multidisciplinary workshop, about 18 papers on Bangladesh issues were presented in four major disciplines, namely 1) Business, Humanities, and Social Science, 2) Agricultural Science, 3) Medical, Pharmaceuticals, and Public Health, and 4) Natural Sciences, Engineering, and ICT. In addition, a workshop proceeding compiling all abstracts is published, and a book with extended abstracts has been planned for wider circulation and dissemination. Professor Sharifu Ura at Kitami Institute of Technology chaired the 2022 multidisciplinary research workshop.

The two days event was formally concluded by the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Japan, H.E. Mr. Sahabuddin Ahmed.  

Remittances have undeniably a profound impact on the current economic progress of Bangladesh. Now, Bangladesh is no longer viewed as a bottomless basket but an emerging tiger in the Asian region. Considering the importance of remittances, the government of Bangladesh (GoB) has introduced various investment schemes such as Wage Earners Development Bond, US Dollar Premium Bond, and US Dollar Investment Bond for NRBs back in 1985 with the enactment of the Wage Earners Development Bond Rule, 1985. Some of the salient features of these investment securities were reinvesting the security after maturity, returning capital abroad, and providing CIP status to those who would invest Tk. 80 million. The GoB also introduced 2% cash incentives on the remittance amount to encourage remittances through the banking channel. These initiatives have undoubtedly motivated non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) to remit their hard-earned money in Bangladesh and become a partner of economic progress. However, a recent circular in December 2020 has lowered the investment limit in Wage Earners Development Bond, US Dollar Premium Bond, and US Dollar Investment Bond to Tk. 1 crore, in total, scrapped CIP status and ceased reinvestment facilities. Notably, NRBs who invest in the above securities do not receive the 2% cash incentives. Also, some positions such as professors and researchers working in a foreign university, government employees working in Bangladesh High Commissions and United Nations, and Bangladesh army deployed in UN peacekeeping missions do not receive any preferential treatment although they are considered as the most decent people who work hard to uphold the country image in abroad. More importantly, the situation of earnings and investing by Bangladeshi migrants, especially in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and some other Middle East countries, is different from that in other countries in the West. Migrant workers in the USA, Canada, Australia, and the UK seek citizenship and make their investments in fixed assets, in particular. However, double citizenship is not allowed in Japan, and we invest all our earnings in Bangladesh. Therefore, Bangladeshi citizens who uphold the country’s image holding an honorable position in Japan should be given special opportunities such as increasing investment limit, reinvestment of the matured securities, and repatriation of the original investment during emergencies. We believe that an encouraging policy on the investment for NRBs is needed considering the increased cost of living, social and economic security for the families of NRBs in Bangladesh, motivate NRBs by professions, and curb capital flights. Therefore, we urge the government to cease the present circular on the investment in Wage Earners Development Bond, US Dollar Premium Bond, and US Dollar Investment Bond. We have the following suggestions in this regard.   

1. The investment made in wage earners bond and other securities prior to the circular on December 21, 2020, should be given reinvestment opportunities to prevent capital flights.  
2. Some positions such as Professors and researchers working in a foreign university, government employees working in Bangladesh High Commission and United Nations, and Bangladesh army deployed in UN peacekeeping missions should be treated separately by increasing the investment limit and provide CIP status for them, as they work hard to uphold Bangladesh image in abroad.
3. The combined investment limit for all the three securities, such as Wage Earners Development Bond, US Dollar Premium Bond, and US Dollar Investment Bond, may be limited to Tk. 8 crores to restore the previous CIP status. Furthermore, a particular scheme in investment can be introduced for NRBs serving in the honorable position in Japan, considering that Japan does not allow double citizenship, and there are many Bangladeshis who do not like to forgo Bangladesh citizenship.  
4. Lower the interest rate on the above three investment securities and limit the investment made in Wage Earners Development Bond to Tk. 5 crores.