The World Bank (WB) will provide US$300 million to help strengthen local urban institutions in Bangladesh to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and improve preparedness to future shocks.
An agreement to this effect was signed Sunday between the government and the WB of Bangladesh in the city. Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Sharifa Khan and the WB Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan Mercy Tembon signed the deal respectively, said a WB press release.
The WB financing will be made available for the Local Government COVID-19 Response and Recovery Project, which aims to benefit 39.9 million urban residents in all eight divisions.
Besides, It will help cities and towns to build back better as they recovers from the pandemic and prepare for future shocks, including climate change, disasters, and disease outbreaks, according to the WB press briefing.
In addition, 329 municipalities and 10 city corporations will receive funds bi-annually from the project to improve critical urban services and infrastructures to mitigate and respond to climate change impacts, disasters, and future disease outbreaks, it mentioned.
"Bangladesh is rapidly urbanizing. With around 36 per cent of the population living in urban areas the city corporations and the municipalities can play a critical role in helping the urban poor recover from the pandemic as well as prepare to handle future shocks" the press statement said, quoting WB Country Director.
"This project will help local government institutions take the right measures to move toward climate-smart urbanization and prepare for resilience in future shocks," Mercy Tembon was also quoted as saying.
The project is to carry out labour-intensive public works that would not only ensure water supply and sanitation, drainage, and other critical services benefiting the low-income areas, slums, and areas exposed to high disease outbreak and disaster risks, but also create jobs for the poor urban people, it stated.
It is expected to create 1.5 million days of short-term work as well as jobs for 10,000 women under the public works scheme, according to the statement.
All infrastructures are expected to incorporate energy efficiency measures, including solar panels and cool roof measures in municipal buildings and services, it said, adding the project is to install hand-washing stations and toilets, including separate facilities for women and improve sanitization in public spaces such as markets, burial grounds, and offices.
It will also help disabled people to access municipality-owned health clinics and conduct awareness programmes on vaccines and other COVID-19 protocols, as well as outreach on gender-based violence and climate risks.
"With quick and proactive measures, Bangladesh government will be able to address impact of the COVID 19 pandemic," ERD Secretary was quoted as saying.
"The project will further support to ensure that the urbans areas remain prepared to any future shocks while benefiting the urban poor through job creation, better services, and infrastructure," said Ms Sharifa Khan said.
The credit will be available is from the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA), which provides concessional financing, has a 30-year term, including a five-year grace period.
Bangladesh currently has the largest ongoing IDA programme totalling $14.7 billion, it said, adding that the WB was among the first development partners to support Bangladesh and has committed more than $38 billion in grants, interest-free and concessional credits to the country since its Independence.
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