ADB prepares 3-year lending programme for Bangladesh
Friday, 9 April 2010
Nazmul Ahsan
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has drafted a three-year lending programme worth about $ 3.0 billion for Bangladesh. If approved, the lending programme would be effective from January next, official sources said.
Infrastructure, energy and regional transport connectivity projects will receive priority in the proposed three-year programme of the multilateral donor agency.
The programme of the ADB has recently been submitted to key government ministries for feedback prior to finalising the projects and loan amounts, a high official in the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said.
A joint meeting of the Bank and government officials will be held soon on the lending programme, he added.
According to the programme, $ 982 million will be made available in 2011, $ 972 million in 2012 and $ 970 million in 2013.
The loans for next year have been earmarked for seven projects. They are: Primary Education Sector Development Programme ($300 million), Energy Efficiency Improvement Project ($200 million), Transport Corridor ($175 million), Railway Sector Investment Program ($ 150 million), Dhaka-Mongla Fibre-optic Cable ($20 million), Khulna water Supply Project ($92 million) and Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development ($45 million).
An ERD official said the proposed projects are very much relevant to the needs of the country. He, however, said they would propose some more projects to ADB for inclusion in their lending programmme.
"The projects will be finalized soon in consultation with the relevant ministries and divisions," a high official in the ERD told the FE.
"We might need more funds from ADB for energy and transport sectors." The loans and technical assistance for 2012 have been earmarked against nine projects. The projects and proposed loans are-National Disaster Risk Management (TA loan $15 million), Teaching Quality Improvement Project ($60 million), Sustainable Clean Fuel Sector Development Programme ($300 million), Capital Market Development Programme ($ 30 million), Sustainable Urban Primary Health SDP ($100 million), Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement ($75 million), Integrated City Transport Project ($125 million), Public-Private Infrastructure Development Facility ($120 million) and Regional Transport Connectivity ($120 million).
Officials in the ERD said the proposed projects for 2012 has covered almost all necessary areas of the country, which will be fine- tuned further at the upcoming joint meeting.
The loans for 2013 have been proposed against seven projects. The projects and proposed loans are- Sustainable Participatory Livestock Development ($30 million), Secondary Education Sector Development Project ($175 million), Regional Power Generation and Transmission ($320 million), Railway Sector Investment Program ($ 150 million), Parma Rail Link ($80 million), Dhaka Water Supply ($100 million) and Papilla Township Development Project ($115 million).
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has drafted a three-year lending programme worth about $ 3.0 billion for Bangladesh. If approved, the lending programme would be effective from January next, official sources said.
Infrastructure, energy and regional transport connectivity projects will receive priority in the proposed three-year programme of the multilateral donor agency.
The programme of the ADB has recently been submitted to key government ministries for feedback prior to finalising the projects and loan amounts, a high official in the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said.
A joint meeting of the Bank and government officials will be held soon on the lending programme, he added.
According to the programme, $ 982 million will be made available in 2011, $ 972 million in 2012 and $ 970 million in 2013.
The loans for next year have been earmarked for seven projects. They are: Primary Education Sector Development Programme ($300 million), Energy Efficiency Improvement Project ($200 million), Transport Corridor ($175 million), Railway Sector Investment Program ($ 150 million), Dhaka-Mongla Fibre-optic Cable ($20 million), Khulna water Supply Project ($92 million) and Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development ($45 million).
An ERD official said the proposed projects are very much relevant to the needs of the country. He, however, said they would propose some more projects to ADB for inclusion in their lending programmme.
"The projects will be finalized soon in consultation with the relevant ministries and divisions," a high official in the ERD told the FE.
"We might need more funds from ADB for energy and transport sectors." The loans and technical assistance for 2012 have been earmarked against nine projects. The projects and proposed loans are-National Disaster Risk Management (TA loan $15 million), Teaching Quality Improvement Project ($60 million), Sustainable Clean Fuel Sector Development Programme ($300 million), Capital Market Development Programme ($ 30 million), Sustainable Urban Primary Health SDP ($100 million), Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement ($75 million), Integrated City Transport Project ($125 million), Public-Private Infrastructure Development Facility ($120 million) and Regional Transport Connectivity ($120 million).
Officials in the ERD said the proposed projects for 2012 has covered almost all necessary areas of the country, which will be fine- tuned further at the upcoming joint meeting.
The loans for 2013 have been proposed against seven projects. The projects and proposed loans are- Sustainable Participatory Livestock Development ($30 million), Secondary Education Sector Development Project ($175 million), Regional Power Generation and Transmission ($320 million), Railway Sector Investment Program ($ 150 million), Parma Rail Link ($80 million), Dhaka Water Supply ($100 million) and Papilla Township Development Project ($115 million).