World Bank Country Director in Bangladesh Abdoulaye Seck made a farewell call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday (Dec 23, 2024).
The Chief Adviser thanked Seck, who is retiring in January, for support during his tenure at World Bank-supported projects in critical sectors like infrastructure, climate ressilance, service process digitalisation, education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.
Seck told the Chief Adviser that on December 19, the World Bank approved nearly $1.2 billion in three financings to help Bangladesh build climate resilience and environmental sustainability while improving health, nutrition, and water and sanitation services in Chattogram city.
On Sunday, the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and the World Bank signed two financings totalling $900 million.
One of the projects will develop secondary cities by constructing climate-resilient and gender-responsive infrastructure along the economic corridor from Cox’s Bazar in the south to Panchagarh in the north.
The other financing, a $500 million development policy credit to support green growth, will be disbursed to the national treasury by this month.
The World Bank’s development portfolio stands at about $ 45 billion since 1972 , which has made a significant contribution to the development trajectory of Bangladesh, particularly in reducing poverty, ensuring sustained economic growth, and improving education, health, and disaster management.
Seck also promised the World Bank’s support for key reform initiatives that the Interim Government of Bangladesh had undertaken.
The Chief Adviser wished Seck and his family good health on his retirement.
Special Envoy to Chief Adviser Lutfey Siddiqi, senior secretary for SDG affairs Lamiya Morshed and ERD secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky were among others present on the occasion.
