Asian Development Bank (ADB) will assist Bangladesh in implementing low-cost river cleaning projects including those of Buriganga, Turag, and Balu rivers.
The ADB's support will also extend to the execution of Bangladesh's action-oriented climate plans, including the National Adaptation Plan (NAP).
The announcement came on Tuesday after a meeting with Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor on Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and Edimon Ginting, ADB's Country Director at the former's secretariat in the city, according to a statement.
During the meeting, Ms Rizwana Hasan emphasised the importance of involving the private sector and youth in environmental protection efforts.
Highlighting the need for capacity building, she requested ADB's assistance in establishing a training institute for Department of Environment (DoE) officials.
Appreciating ADB's ongoing support in various environmental and climate-related projects in Bangladesh, she further stressed the importance of continued collaboration to strengthen the country's resilience to climate change and ensure sustainable development.
Innovative approaches and financing mechanisms were highlighted as crucial to effectively addressing these challenges.
The statement added that Edimon Ginting reaffirmed ADB's commitment to supporting Bangladesh in achieving its environmental and climate goals.
He announced that the ADB will assist in river cleaning efforts using AI technology and discussed future plans for expanding their initiatives in the country.
He also invited Ms Hasan to participate as a speaker in the High-level Session of the Climate Adaptation Investment Planning Forum (CAIP2024), scheduled for September 17-18, 2024, at ADB Headquarters in Manila, Philippines.
Environment Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed and senior officials from the ministry and ADB, among others, were also present at the meeting.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continued partnership in promoting environmental sustainability and climate resilience in Bangladesh.
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