“The Order of Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon” conferred upon Prof. Dr. Abul Barkat.

Dhaka June 22, 2023 – A conferment ceremony of “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon” awarded by the Government of Japan to Prof. Dr. Abul Barkat, Founding Chairman of Department of Japanese Studies, University of Dhaka, was held at the official residence of H.E. Mr. IWAMA Kiminori, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh. The conferral was given by the Japanese Government in recognition of his contribution to laying a strong foundation of Japanese studies in academic sphere in Bangladesh.
At the ceremony, Ambassador IWAMA conveyed his sincere gratitude to Prof. Barkat for outstanding contribution in creation of Department of Japanese studies at Dhaka University. Ambassador IWAMA mentioned, “In his 41 years of illustrious career, Prof. Barkat had undertaken many crucial roles, and one such role was the establishment of the Department of Japanese Studies in the University of Dhaka, the most esteemed educational institution in Bangladesh”.
Since 1994, as a professor in the economic department of DU, Prof. Abul Barkat delivered numerous lectures, conducted surveys and published evaluation reports, papers, and publications associated with Japan’s ODA projects and Japanese economy. Prof. Barkat also contributed to the development of Japan Study Center (JSC), as a director since 2012. In 2014, during Prime Minister of Japan late Shinzo Abe’s visit to Bangladesh, both countries pledged to further strengthen research activities conducted by “Japan Study Center”.
In 2018, Japan Study Center was upgraded to the Department of Japanese Studies in the University of Dhaka. This initiative has led students at Japanese Studies in the University to be able to attain a bachelor’s and master’s degree at the department.
The Government of Japan decided to confer the award on Prof. Barkat on November 3rd, 2022. Mr. Masud Bin Momen, Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh and Associate Professor Dr. Abdullah-Al-Mamun, Chairman of Department of Japanese Studies, University of Dhaka attended the ceremony to celebrate the great contribution of Prof. Abul Barkat.##