A high-level consultation mission of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has met Md. Tazul Islam, the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. South Asia Department (SARD) Director General Takeo Konishi, ADB Bangladesh Resident Mission Country Director Edimon Ginting and other important department Heads were present in the meeting.
During the meeting, issues of mutual interest were discussed between the two parties. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation wants to understand the ministry’s demands, identify the key issues on ADB’s portfolio, and establish a strong pipeline for the next three years, in order to better support ministry’s development.
In the meeting, the delegation discussed climate resilient projects related with climate change, the possibility of launching municipal bonds for internal resources mobilization, improving the rural sewerage system, river bank eroson projects and investing in primary health care projects. Also, there was a discussion about protecting the navigability of rivers around capital Dhaka. The feasibility of the project to protect the pollution, encroachment and navigability of the river circling Dhaka was discussed.
Considering the continual rapid and the associated need for basic urban infrastructure as well as the priorities, ADB’s main pillars of support will remain water supply and sanitation (sanitation , waste) were discussed. ADB will to support city and in improving urban planning and more resilient and urban and services. Efforts will be to develop “model” towns that can be replicated, ADB team told LGRD Minister.
Meanwhile, later on, a delegation led by Stephane Crouzat, France’s ambassador for international climate negotiations, met with the Minister of Local Government Md. Tazul Islam. French Ambassador to Dhaka Marie Masdupuy and different officials of French Development Agency (AFD) were present during the meeting.
After the detailed discussion of various activities related to climate change in the meeting, the delegation expressed their interest to invest in climate resilient projects.
It may be noted that the French Development Agency (AFD) has financed three (03) projects of the local government division in the fiscal year 2023-24 with an amount of Tk. 15415.09 crore.