World Bank Group president Ajay Banga on Thursday said that the global lender would provide $3.5 billion to support reform initiatives of Bangladesh鈥檚 interim government.
The WB president announced the assistance at a meeting with Bangladesh chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters on Wednesday (local time).
Ajay Banga, a long-time friend of professor Yunus, said that at least $2 billion would be provided as fresh lending while another $1.5 billion would be repurposed from the existing programmes.
He said that the World Bank would support reforms in digitisation, liquidity, energy, power and transport sectors in Bangladesh.
During the meeting, professor Yunus sought the World Bank鈥檚 support for the wide-range reforms, the interim government had taken.
He asked the WB to be creative about its lending programme.
鈥業t is a big opportunity to rebuild the country, Yunus said.
The WB president discussed the energy sector cooperation in South Asia and how hydro energy produced in Nepal and Bhutan could be shared by neighbours such as India and Bangladesh.
Energy and power adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan was present at the meeting.
