Japan has pledged $1.063 billion in financial assistance to Bangladesh, aimed at bolstering the South Asian nation's economy, improving railway infrastructure, and supporting education initiatives, according to an official announcement from Dhaka.  The announcement came during the ongoing visit of Bangladesh's interim head, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, to Tokyo. The funding includes a $418 million development policy loan to support economic reforms and enhance climate resilience efforts, Yunus' press office said in a statement.  In addition, Japan will provide $641 million to upgrade a major railway line in Bangladesh. A further $4.2 million will be granted in scholarships for Bangladeshi students pursuing studies in Japan.  Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with Yunus on Friday in Tokyo. Yunus assumed the role of interim leader in August last year following mass student-led protests that resulted in the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who subsequently fled to India.  The aid package is seen as a significant step in deepening Japan-Bangladesh relations, especially in a period of political transition for the South Asian nation.

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