On the sidelines of the 58th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Bangladesh has strengthened its development cooperation with key international financial partners through high-level bilateral meetings.
Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, finance adviser of Bangladesh, held a bilateral meeting with Nadia Calvino, president of the European Investment Bank (EIB), on Sunday. The meeting focused on expanding the EIB’s ongoing support in Bangladesh’s priority sectors, reports BSS.
The EIB, the primary lending institution of the European Union (EU), has been involved in Bangladesh since 2000 under a framework agreement with the Government of Bangladesh. To date, the EIB has invested approximately EUR 635 million in six ongoing projects across the health, water supply, transport, and communication sectors.
While its core focus is on EU member states, the EIB plays a vital role in EU development cooperation with over 160 countries, particularly in areas such as climate action, innovation, infrastructure, SMEs, and skill development.
In a significant development, the EIB has committed to providing EUR 350 million in framework loans to support renewable energy projects in Bangladesh, according to a press release from the Ministry of Finance.
The EU will also contribute an additional EUR 45 million in grant funding. These projects aim to enhance environmental sustainability and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, aligning with Bangladesh's sustainable development goals (SDGs).
During the discussion, the finance adviser emphasized the urgent need for greater investment in human capital development and infrastructure to address the dual challenges of graduating from Least Developed Country (LDC) status and avoiding the middle-income trap.
He called on the EU and its institutions to provide enhanced concessional or subsidized financing in strategic sectors critical to Bangladesh's development trajectory.
The finance adviser also held a bilateral meeting with representatives of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). JBIC has long been a valued partner in Bangladesh’s development journey through financing and strategic collaboration.
Notable investments include the DAP-II Fertilizer Plant (USD 715.6 million, now fully repaid), the Ghorasal Fertilizer Plant, and the Meghnaghat Power Plant (USD 265 million, co-financed with ADB).
Additionally, the Bangladesh delegation held bilateral meetings with Yingming Yang, vice president (South, Central, and West Asia) of ADB, the vice president of the OPEC Fund, and Professor Michael Kremer, vice president of The Agriculture Innovation Mechanism for Scale (AIM for Scale). In these meetings, both parties discussed issues of mutual interest.
These engagements highlighted Bangladesh’s commitment to deepening strategic partnerships with key global financial institutions to accelerate sustainable and inclusive growth.
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
