ADB country chief lauds CG's sticking to poll roadmap
Friday, 21 November 2008
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Paul J Heytens appreciated the caretaker government's (CG's) decision about sticking to election roadmap and hoped Bangladesh's smooth transition to democracy, reports UNB.
He said he was impressed with good governance and institutional reforms over the last 18 months under the leadership of Chief Adviser (CA) Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and remarked: "These are good for a strong foundation of democracy."
The Chief Adviser said the Asian Development Bank can help and expand its support to Bangladesh in livestock, fisheries and milk-production sectors.
The head of the caretaker government expressed the views when the new ADB country chief in Bangladesh, Paul J Heytens, made a courtesy call on him at the CA's office.
Dr Fakhruddin noted that Bangladesh has faced a lot of challenges and has overcome those successfully, saying that the country's "economic growth has been steady despite some constraints."
Infrastructure development, and power and energy are major constraints, he pointed out.
"If the present steady economic growth continued, Bangladesh will become a medium-income-group country within the country's 50th anniversary of independence," the CA expressed the hope.
He said the government's social safety net has been expanded and 100-day employment programme has been implemented.
He thanked the funding agency for its emergency and food-security support for tackling the aftermath of cyclone Sidr and two successive floods last year.
The CA also sought the ADB's cooperation in implementing second poverty reduction strategic papers (PRSP) and hoped that assistance from the Asian Development Fund (ADF) would be expanded.
Fakhruddin said, "ADB has always been a good friend of Bangladesh." He expressed the hope that during the tenure of the new country director, the relations would grow in terms of size and depth.
After the meeting, CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim briefed newsmen.
Presently, about 50 ADB-assisted projects involving about 3.50 billion US dollars are underway in Bangladesh, it was mentioned at the meeting
For future support to Bangladesh, resource allocation of 370 million US dollars per year for next four years has been made by ADB. The bank also provided budgetary assistance of 117 million US dollars, 170 million-dollar food-security assistance last July and 50 million dollar for good governance.
The ADB country director appreciated the government's strong commitment to maintaining macroeconomic stability and impressive economic performance with GDP growth of over 6.0 per cent despite setbacks caused by 'Sidr', floods, volatile international market and global financial crisis.
He observed that Bangladesh has been on good track. Agreeing over the necessity of infrastructure development, Heytens said ADB would be happy to be a part of infrastructure development of Bangladesh.
He said ADB wants quick completion of construction of the Padma bridge.
Heytens said Bangladesh and ADB have long productive history and they would continue it.
Secretary of CA's office Kazi M Aminul Islam, CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim, ADB Deputy Country Director Nurul Huda and ERD Secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan were also present at the meeting.
He said he was impressed with good governance and institutional reforms over the last 18 months under the leadership of Chief Adviser (CA) Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and remarked: "These are good for a strong foundation of democracy."
The Chief Adviser said the Asian Development Bank can help and expand its support to Bangladesh in livestock, fisheries and milk-production sectors.
The head of the caretaker government expressed the views when the new ADB country chief in Bangladesh, Paul J Heytens, made a courtesy call on him at the CA's office.
Dr Fakhruddin noted that Bangladesh has faced a lot of challenges and has overcome those successfully, saying that the country's "economic growth has been steady despite some constraints."
Infrastructure development, and power and energy are major constraints, he pointed out.
"If the present steady economic growth continued, Bangladesh will become a medium-income-group country within the country's 50th anniversary of independence," the CA expressed the hope.
He said the government's social safety net has been expanded and 100-day employment programme has been implemented.
He thanked the funding agency for its emergency and food-security support for tackling the aftermath of cyclone Sidr and two successive floods last year.
The CA also sought the ADB's cooperation in implementing second poverty reduction strategic papers (PRSP) and hoped that assistance from the Asian Development Fund (ADF) would be expanded.
Fakhruddin said, "ADB has always been a good friend of Bangladesh." He expressed the hope that during the tenure of the new country director, the relations would grow in terms of size and depth.
After the meeting, CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim briefed newsmen.
Presently, about 50 ADB-assisted projects involving about 3.50 billion US dollars are underway in Bangladesh, it was mentioned at the meeting
For future support to Bangladesh, resource allocation of 370 million US dollars per year for next four years has been made by ADB. The bank also provided budgetary assistance of 117 million US dollars, 170 million-dollar food-security assistance last July and 50 million dollar for good governance.
The ADB country director appreciated the government's strong commitment to maintaining macroeconomic stability and impressive economic performance with GDP growth of over 6.0 per cent despite setbacks caused by 'Sidr', floods, volatile international market and global financial crisis.
He observed that Bangladesh has been on good track. Agreeing over the necessity of infrastructure development, Heytens said ADB would be happy to be a part of infrastructure development of Bangladesh.
He said ADB wants quick completion of construction of the Padma bridge.
Heytens said Bangladesh and ADB have long productive history and they would continue it.
Secretary of CA's office Kazi M Aminul Islam, CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim, ADB Deputy Country Director Nurul Huda and ERD Secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan were also present at the meeting.