Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Executive Senior Vice President Yamada Junichi on Thursday paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her parliament office. The prime minister requested the Jica official to explore the opportunities of producing drinking water from the wastewater that comes from seawater following salt production by locals in Cox's Bazar. PM's speechwriter M Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting. The prime minister said there will be huge salt in the wastewater and locals will benefit from it as they can produce salt using less water. Jica appreciated the proposal, saying it is possible. The premier also asked authorities to form a body to deal with the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative (MIDI) in line with the joint communique signed between Bangladesh and Japan on April 26 during her last official visit to Japan. In reply, the Jica official expressed its desire to work with MIDI upon completion of the Matarbari power plant project. The prime minister also suggested building a children's library with Japanese assistance beside the old children's park in the capital's Shahbagh. She also asked authorities to introduce a one-stop service in the Araihazar Economic Zone area to decrease the hassles investors face in fetching more foreign and local investments. Yamada Junichi told the prime minister that he visited the Matatbari power plant, deep sea port, the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and the economic zone in Araihazar in Narayanganj projects areas. Junichi appreciated the progress of the mega projects and hoped the Matarbari power plant will be inaugurated early next year as 95% of the work of the plant is complete. He also hoped added that the access road of the deep sea port will be opened this year. Source: Dhaka tribune