Senior officials, including the environment secretary, joint secretary, chief conservator of forests, and ADB representatives, participated in the discussions, signalling a collaborative approach to Bangladesh’s inclusive development and environmental challenges.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed to providing Bangladesh with $1 billion annually in concessional financing over the next five years to support inclusive development and environmental sustainability.
ADB Country Director for Bangladesh, Hoe Yun Jeong, announced the funding during a meeting with Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Water Resources, at the Forest Department in Dhaka on Sunday.
During the meeting, Jeong highlighted ADB’s dedication to enhancing Bangladesh’s climate resilience and environmental sustainability through targeted projects. He assured increased financial support, including grants, and expressed ADB’s strong interest in river-cleaning initiatives to restore the country’s waterways.
“ADB is committed to expanding community engagement and public consultations to ensure the success of our projects,” Jeong said, emphasizing the importance of inclusive development.
Climate-Focused and Socially-Inclusive
Rizwana Hasan underscored the need for a shift towards climate-focused and socially-inclusive activities over traditional infrastructure projects. She highlighted the government’s ambitious plan to restore eight major rivers across the country’s divisions, with a particular emphasis on prioritising river-cleaning efforts in Dhaka.
She also called for tangible actions rather than just formulating plans, urging ADB to support key environmental challenges such as solid waste management, sewage treatment, salinity intrusion, waterlogging, and human-elephant conflicts.
“To address these critical issues effectively, concessional loans and enhanced collaboration are essential,” Rizwana said.
Senior officials, including the environment secretary, joint secretary, chief conservator of forests, and ADB representatives, participated in the discussions, signalling a collaborative approach to tackling Bangladesh’s environmental challenges.
The meeting reflects ADB’s commitment to aligning with Bangladesh’s development priorities, particularly its environmental goals, as the country grapples with the dual challenges of rapid urbanization and climate change. This enhanced support from ADB is expected to catalyse efforts to promote sustainability, strengthen infrastructure, and improve the quality of life for communities across Bangladesh.
