The government would seek help of a senior World Bank executive for confirming some US$500 million budgetary support as the Bank official will arrive in Dhaka today (Tuesday) for a three-day visit, officials said Monday.
Economic Relations Division (ERD) officials said the newly appointed Executive Director (ED) of the World Bank (WB) for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka, Mr Subhash Chandra Garg, will reach Dhaka today (Tuesday) afternoon.
The finance ministry will request the WB's top executive for facilitating budgetary support credit for Bangladesh, assured by the global lender nearly a year back, said a senior ERD official.
He said the government would also request him to work for Bangladesh so that the Washington-based lender extended the investments for the South Asian country's infrastructure, energy and power sector improvements.
Mr Subhash Chandra Garg, an Indian bureaucrat appointed as ED in September last, will meet Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Mashiur Rahman, Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman and some other high officials in the government during his visit.
He will also go to the WB Dhaka office and Indian High Commission during his 3-day stay in Dhaka.
Another ERD official said since Bangladesh needs large investment in the coming years to develop its infrastructure and cut poverty, the government will discuss the way forward for getting increased support from the Washington-based lender.
"How Bangladesh could obtain further support in the coming years in view of the present relations between the government and the lender will be discussed in the meetings," he added.
Mr Prasad will leave Dhaka on December 11.
The World Bank, the largest donor of the country, in the last fiscal year (FY) 2013-14 disbursed nearly US$801 million loans and grants for developing Bangladesh's infrastructure and improving the social condition.
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