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Bangladesh signs deals worth $303 million with AFD for three dev projects

Bangladesh signs deals worth $303 million with AFD for three dev projects
National

The Bangladesh government, through the Ministry of Finance's Economic Relations Division Europe Section-I, has signed Credit Facility Agreements (CFAs) with the Agence Francaise de development (AFD) for three development projects. 

The CFAs were signed on 22 June by Sharifa Khan, secretary of the Economic Relations Division, and Benoit CHASSATTE, AFD country director for Bangladesh, on behalf of the Bangladesh government and AFD, respectively.

These projects aim to enhance sustainable urban transport, improve sewerage systems, and promote environmental sustainability in the country, reads a press release issued in this regard.

The first project, titled "Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project [BRT Company Component]," has received an additional 62 million euros (some $68 million). 

Its objective is to establish a 20km Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor in Gazipur City Corporation. This pilot project aims to introduce a modern mass transit system to Bangladesh and provide an integrated urban mobility solution.

The second project, known as the "Chattogram Metropolitan Sewerage Project for North Kattoli Catchment," has been allocated 175 million euros (some $192 million). 

This initiative focuses on constructing a sewerage system and wastewater treatment infrastructure for the North Kattoli catchment area, situated in the northwest part of Chattogram city. The project addresses the long-awaited needs of the Chattogram city dwellers and supports their specific requirements, added the release.

The third project, called "Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST)," has been assigned 40 million euros (around $44 million). 

Co-financed by AFD and led by the World Bank (WB), this project aims to improve environmental regulations and enforcement in Bangladesh. It focuses on curbing pollution and enhancing environmental quality by strengthening technical and administrative capacities.

AFD, as a bilateral development agency implementing Official Development Assistance on behalf of the French Government, has been operating in Bangladesh since 2012. 

It supports various development projects related to urban development, infrastructure, power, green energy, and corporate and social responsibility. 

AFD's commitment to technical assistance projects in Bangladesh has reached 2101 million euros, and it has provided a budget support loan of 300 million euros to the country thus far.