Business Desk :
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a new support programme worth $5.9 billion equivalent to Tk50,473 crore for Bangladesh for the next three years.
The regional development agency will also maintain a fund worth $5.2 billion standby, which would be disbursed on formulation of new development projects.
The ADB has finalised a new Country Operations Business Plan (COBP) 2021-2023 for Bangladesh with a provision of a total of $11.10 billion, while the lion portion of the package would be spent to address the health and economic fallouts of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The Manila-based lender made the announcement through a press release issued by its Bangladesh Resident Mission on Thursday.
“Given the Covid-19 pandemic, we are enhancing our partnership with Bangladesh by adjusting programme priorities to help the country overcome immediate challenges related to health and social protection, accelerate economic recovery, and maintain inclusive growth,” said ADB Country Director for Bangladesh Manmohan Parkash.
“More support will be provided to improve health, food security, social protection, skills development, rural development, water and sanitation, and the finance sector, among others,” he added.
The release also explained that ADB prioritised climate resilience, gender inclusion, and balanced regional development for the upcoming programme.
The development agency will increase its support for the private sector, public-private partnership projects and help with bond market development, the release added.
It also committed to leverage co-financing opportunities and use diverse financing tools and modalities, including policy-based loans, technical assistance, grants, equity, guarantees, B-loan and trade financing.
ADB officials said that the new country operations business plan will contain $5,938 million for firm projects, while another $5,170 million will be for standby projects, and $35.6 million for technical assistance programmes.
The standby list includes a pipeline of bankable projects that respond to the country’s needs and growing absorptive capacity, to be financed depending on the availability of additional lending resources.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a new support programme worth $5.9 billion equivalent to Tk50,473 crore for Bangladesh for the next three years.
The regional development agency will also maintain a fund worth $5.2 billion standby, which would be disbursed on formulation of new development projects.
The ADB has finalised a new Country Operations Business Plan (COBP) 2021-2023 for Bangladesh with a provision of a total of $11.10 billion, while the lion portion of the package would be spent to address the health and economic fallouts of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The Manila-based lender made the announcement through a press release issued by its Bangladesh Resident Mission on Thursday.
“Given the Covid-19 pandemic, we are enhancing our partnership with Bangladesh by adjusting programme priorities to help the country overcome immediate challenges related to health and social protection, accelerate economic recovery, and maintain inclusive growth,” said ADB Country Director for Bangladesh Manmohan Parkash.
“More support will be provided to improve health, food security, social protection, skills development, rural development, water and sanitation, and the finance sector, among others,” he added.
The release also explained that ADB prioritised climate resilience, gender inclusion, and balanced regional development for the upcoming programme.
The development agency will increase its support for the private sector, public-private partnership projects and help with bond market development, the release added.
It also committed to leverage co-financing opportunities and use diverse financing tools and modalities, including policy-based loans, technical assistance, grants, equity, guarantees, B-loan and trade financing.
ADB officials said that the new country operations business plan will contain $5,938 million for firm projects, while another $5,170 million will be for standby projects, and $35.6 million for technical assistance programmes.
The standby list includes a pipeline of bankable projects that respond to the country’s needs and growing absorptive capacity, to be financed depending on the availability of additional lending resources.
