ADB country director praises PM’s planned development initiatives

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DHAKA, Sept 11, 2019 (BSS) – Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Manmohan Parkash today highly appreciated planned development initiatives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“Due to pragmatic steps of the present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, poverty rate came down to 21 percent from that of 82 percent in 1972,” he said.

The ADB country director’s appreciation came when he paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her Jatiya Sangsad Office here this evening.

After the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

Putting emphasis on developing the country in a planned way, Sheikh Hasina said none would be allowed to establish industries here and there.

“The government is establishing economic zones across the country,” she said, adding that entrepreneurs can set up their mills and factories there.

During the meeting, the prime minister hoped that Bangladesh will witness huge investment as the ADB is going to provide funds for construction of major infrastructures in transport and communication sectors in southwestern region.

Sheikh Hasina said country’s highways are being upgraded to four lanes with service lanes for slow moving vehicles on both sides.

At the meeting, the ADB’s country director placed a report on various projects before the premier.

According to the report, the ADB will finance US Dollar 800 million in four projects in Bangladesh under South Asian Sub-Reginal Economic Cooperation (SASEC).

Apart from the new phases and tranches of the ongoing SASEC Dhaka-Northwest Corridor, four new projects were added for the development of Bangladesh’s transport and communication sector.

The projects are SASEC Trades Facilitation Sector Development Program with $150 million, SASEC Chattogram Port Link Road Project involving $150 million, SASEC Dhaka-Sylhet Corridor Road Project at a cost of $300 million, and SASEC Laksam-Chattogram Dual Gauge Railway Project involving $200 million.

The report said the Multimodal Transport Project Readiness Facility was renamed as Transport Connectivity Improvement Preparatory Facility with a revised cost of $42 million.

Besides, it said, SASEC Dhaka-Northwest Corridor Road Project (Phase-2) (Tranche 2) was moved forward to 2019 with a revised cost of $400 million.

The report said the SASEC Chittagong Port Enhancement Project Phase 1 was dropped and the Dhaka Metro Line 5 Investment Project (Phase 1) (Tranche 1) was deferred beyond 2022.

The report said ADB is providing US$ 300 million as ordinary capital resources for SASEC Dhaka-Sylhet Corridor Road Project.

At the outset of the meeting, Parkash briefed the prime minister about consistency of ADB’s partnership with Bangladesh.

PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman was present at the meeting.