World Bank wants to remain beside Bangladesh in its march towards development, says Heuerou
Bangladesh does not want any form of assistance from other countries or organizations that includes harmful conditions.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said this when visiting World Bank’s Regional Vice President for South Asia Philippe Le Heuerou who called on her at her office here on Tuesday.
PM’s Special Assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil briefed reporters after the meeting.
“We always welcome assistance from other countries or organizations but we would never accept any sort of assistance that includes harmful conditions,” Hasina said.
In the meeting, the prime minister said that each country of the world has its own development philosophy including culture, nature, environment, psychology and the geographical characteristics of that particular country.
The World Bank vice president highly appreciated the tremendous successes of the government in economic empowerment of women, attaining over 6% GDP growth in the last couple of years as well as successes in education and health sectors, Shakil said.
He also praised the government for taking steps for developing the social safety net.
Heuerou expressed his organization’s interest to assist in the infrastructural development of Bangladesh.
In this connection, he said that the World Bank has pledged to provide $2.8 billion in the current fiscal year where it already signed aid agreements with the Bangladesh government for $1.73 billion till February last.
The World Bank VP also put emphasis on strengthening the regional connectivity.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh has maintained more than 6% GDP growth despite global economic recession due to the pragmatic and time-befitting steps of the government.
She also hoped that by 2021 Bangladesh would cross the double digit in the GDP growth.
The World Bank VP also described the activities of the World Bank in Bangladesh after setting up its office here in 1972.
He said that World Bank wants to remain beside Bangladesh in its march towards development.
PM’s Media Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Ambassador-At-Large M Ziauddin, Principal Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder and PM’s Special Assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil were present, among others.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
