Bangladesh received a loan of 1.16 billion or 1.16 billion dollars from the World Bank. The amount of money in Bangladeshi currency is 13 thousand 920 crores (120 rupees per dollar).
This information was informed in a press release from the organization's Dhaka office on Friday (December 20).
According to the notification, the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors approved this loan for Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been given loans to improve health services, improve water and sanitation services, and undertake green and climate-resilient development programs. Three programs will be run with this money.
World Bank Country Director Abdoulaye Sek said, 'Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. The biggest pollution challenge faced. Improving climate resilience in every sector and addressing pollution disasters has become an important development priority. This new funding will improve essential services such as health, water and sanitation for the people of Bangladesh. This will lay the foundation for clean, climate resilient and sustainable development.'
According to the notification, the “Second Bangladesh Green and Climate Resilient Development Credit'' worth $500 million will support reforms to help the country transition to green and climate-resilient development. This funding supports policy reforms to improve public planning and financing and implementation of green, climate-resilient interventions at local and national levels. It also promotes clean and resource-efficient production and services in key sectors. As a precondition for the loan, the Planning Commission has adopted multi-year public investment program guidelines for key sectors integrated with the medium-term budget framework.
The financing supports policies to reduce air pollution, improve environmental enforcement, expand access to carbon markets, improve sustainable water and sanitation services, improve the effectiveness of the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, and advance a climate-resilient and sustainable environment, the release said. The Planning Department has adopted the Delta Assessment Framework for effective implementation of the Delta Plan. Financing supports sustainable public procurement incorporating environmental and social considerations. It will improve the energy efficiency of buildings and machinery and encourage the construction sector to become greener.
Besides, the $379 million 'Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Development Programme' will help improve people's access to quality health and nutrition services and build resilient health systems in Sylhet and Chittagong divisions. It will provide quality health, nutrition and population services to around 51 lakh people. The program will help reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by increasing the number of births in public health facilities, both natural deliveries and cesarean section deliveries. This will ensure that vulnerable women in the most climate-vulnerable districts are reached. The program will strengthen the healthcare system to effectively respond to growing health needs such as screening, treating high blood pressure and other conditions. In addition to World Bank funding, the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents provided a catalyst grant of 25 million.
According to the announcement, the $280 million Chittagong Water Supply Improvement Project will provide safe water to more than 1 million people in Chittagong with new and rehabilitated pipes. The project will provide water connections to nearly two lakh new households and improved sanitation services to nearly one lakh people in low-income communities.
The project is part of the World Bank's South Asia Regional Initiative or Program to provide water, sanitation and hygiene services to nearly 100 million people in the region by 2035.
