World Bank sends its VP to assess Sidr impact

FE Team | Published: December 05, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
The World Bank (WB) has assigned Praful C Patel, the bank's vice president for South Asia, to hold talks with the interim administration on how the development lender can assist Bangladesh to overcome the post-Sidr crisis, according to government and bank officials.
The bank's president Robert B Zoellick has directed Patel to obtain first-hand account of the devastation and have meetings with top policy makers with regard to the bank's long-term interventions, they said Tuesday.
"Patel may arrive within the next couple of weeks, although the date is yet to be finalised. He is coming on a three-day trip," a bank official told the FE.
"During his recent visit to Bangladesh, Bob Zoellick was highly impressed by the country's progress in some areas. That's why, he asked Patel to seek ways how aid can be scaled up. Currently, we're working on a US$75 million budgetary support," he said.
The loan proposal is expected to be placed before the bank's board on January 10, next year, bank officials noted.
During his visit, Patel, who oversees the WB's South Asian operations, is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, finance adviser Mirza Azizul Islam, agriculture adviser CS Karim and food and disaster management adviser Tapan Chowdhury, officials at the Economic Relations Division said.
In addition to his meetings with the government side, Patel will visit some of the southwest coastal districts, affected by cyclone Sidr, to see for himself the damage caused.