It has been 10 years since the terrorist attack in Dhaka on July 1, 2016.
This incident claimed the precious lives of many people, including seven Japanese nationals who were engaged in the “Preliminary Survey for the Dhaka Urban Transportation Improvement Project,” working alongside the local people with the hope of contributing to Bangladesh’s development. Even now, 10 years later, our hearts remain filled with deep sorrow and grief.
As President of JICA, I would like to once again express my deepest condolences to the victims of this incident.
This day is one that we at JICA must never forget. Today, I attended the memorial service held in Dhaka on behalf of JICA. I expressed my deepest condolences to the victims and, as a fellow practitioner of international cooperation, reaffirmed my commitment to keeping the memory of this incident firmly in my heart and to ensuring that all possible safety measures are taken.
In response to this incident, JICA has made a company-wide effort to fundamentally strengthen its safety measures. Under the “Safety Measures Declaration,” which is based on the three pillars of “Prioritizing Human Life,” “Optimal Safety Measures,” and “sense of ownership”—we have continuously implemented measures to ensure the safety of those involved in international cooperation projects. These efforts include strengthening the collection, analysis, and sharing of threat intelligence; formulating and rigorously enforcing safety measures; preparing for contingencies and emergencies; raising safety awareness among every individual; and enhancing training and drills.
Looking at the world as a whole, the war in Ukraine continues, and the situation in the Middle East remains unpredictable. Conflicts persist in various regions, and humanitarian crises—including the one in Gaza—show no signs of improvement. In the face of these crises, promoting international cooperation while ensuring the safety of those involved in such efforts has become more important than ever to achieve human security. Furthermore, for Japan—a nation that finds it difficult to maintain prosperity and peace without global connections—international cooperation is a vital means of building and strengthening trust within the international community.
Driven by a strong determination to ensure that our organization faithfully preserves the memories and lessons of this incident and to prevent such a tragic event from ever happening again, we will continue our efforts to prioritize human life and safety above all else and steadily advance our international cooperation.
July 2, Reiwa 8
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Akihiko Tanaka, Chairman
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Safety Measures Declarationhttps://www.jica.go.jp/about/organization/safety/
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