BD, French Dev Agency sign $303m credit deals for 3 crucial projects

Bangladesh and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) or the French Development Agency have entered into credit facility agreements (CFA) for three crucial development projects involving 277 million euros (approximately USD 303 million), reports UNB.
The agreements were signed by Sharifa Khan, secretary to the Economic Relations Division, representing Bangladesh, and Benoit Chassatte, AFD country director for Bangladesh, on June 22.
Under the CFAs, AFD will provide 62 million euros for the BRT project, 175 million euros for the Chattogram Metropolitan Sewerage Project, and 40 million euros for the BEST Project.
The first project, known as the Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project (BRT Company Component), aims to establish a sustainable urban transport system in Gazipur City Corporation (GCC). This project will introduce a 20 km Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor, serving as a pilot project to provide a holistic solution for integrated urban mobility.
The second project, the Chattogram Metropolitan Sewerage Project for North Kattoli, addresses the long-awaited needs of the port city residents. It involves the construction of a sewerage system and wastewater treatment infrastructure for the North Kattoli catchment area, located in the northwest part of Chattogram city.
The third project, called the Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST) project, is a joint effort between AFD and the World Bank. It aims to enhance environmental regulations and enforcement in Bangladesh. The project focuses on curbing pollution and improving environmental quality by strengthening the country's technical and administrative capacity.
AFD, a bilateral development agency responsible for implementing official development assistance on behalf of the French government, has been actively operating in Bangladesh since 2012.