Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and ERD, Ministry of Finance organised the seminar to share and disseminate information on JOCVs' activities in Bangladesh.

Nagayuki Yoshioka of Primary Training Institute, Chittagong, Chizu Kadooka of BRDB, Tangail, Masao Koda, Senior JOCV and Ryo Shiga of Institute of Modern Languages, Dhaka University made lively presentations in fluent Bangla on their different activities.

Hidetoshi Ukita, Charge d' Affaires, Embassy of Japan in Dhaka and Noriaki Nagatomo, Additional Resident Representative, JICA Bangladesh office were present at the seminar as guests of honour while Badiur Rahman, Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance presided over the function.

Nagatomo of JICA said, "JOCV cooperation have achieved satisfactory results in the development activities of Bangladesh".

He told a success story of Tasaki, a member of JOCVs, who developed a hybrid radish in 1974. He worked for Agro Service Centre (ASC) Kashimpur, Gazipur under Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC). This hybrid radish named "Tasaki Mula" had become quite popular in Bangladesh and is now widely available.

Hidetoshi Ukita said out of 72 countries, Bangladesh is one of the beneficiary countries that have the JOCV programme and Japanese government will continue the JOCV programme in future.

Badiur Rahman stressed that through patriotism and honesty we could also develop our own country like Japan did.

Since 1973, a total of 864 JOCV volunteers have been dispatched in various fields like health, education, agriculture, engineering and sports for socio-economic development of Bangladesh. At present, 52 volunteers and 4 senior volunteers are working in different organisations throughout Bangladesh.