Hanna satisfied with progress of EU projects in Sylhet
FE Report | Thursday, 20 March 2014
Head of Delegation of the European Union in Bangladesh Ambassador William Hanna expressed his satisfaction over the progress of various EU-funded projects in Sylhet.
Ambassador Hanna visited Sylhet division to see for himself the progress of a number of European Union-funded projects in the region.
"It was heartening to see how funds from Europe have helped make changes in the lives of many people in every corner in this country. Bangladesh has come a long way since independence, and the EU has always been a steady partner of Bangladesh in this long journey," Ambassador Hanna said after rounding off his three-day visit to Sylhet.
The visit covered an array of projects ranging from capacity building of tea plantation workers to soil fertility to technical and vocational education and training for young people in the informal sector in the country. The varied projects in the region demonstrate the European Union's engagement in the development sector in Bangladesh.
On March 17 last Ambassador Hanna visited the project named "Mapping and Capacity Building of Tea Plantation Workers and Little Known Ethnic Communities of Bangladesh." The EU is providing about €240,000 to improve the living and working conditions of the members of this little known deprived community.
On the second day of his visit, Ambassador Hanna went to the implementation area of the 'Soil Fertility Component Project' funded by the European Union. The project, with a budget of more than €8 million, is being implemented in six ecologically disadvantaged areas of Bangladesh by the Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) of the Ministry of Agriculture through local NGOs.
The EU attaches high importance to skills development of young population in Bangladesh.
Ambassador Hanna visited the project entitled 'Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for Young People in the Informal Economy in Bangladesh' in Sylhet Sadar on March 19. The European Union is providing €1,690,000 to ensure demand driven and flexible technical and vocational education and training for young people in the informal sector in the country.