The World Bank's Managing Director of Operations Axel van Trotsenburg will arrive in Dhaka on Saturday (21 January) on his first official visit to Bangladesh.

During his three-day visit, Axel van Trotsenburg will join a public event in Dhaka on 22 January to mark 50 years of the partnership between Bangladesh and the World Bank Group and celebrate the country's remarkable development achievements.

"Bangladesh has shown the world what can be done to dramatically reduce poverty through successful innovations in human development, women's empowerment, and climate adaptation. The World Bank is proud of its 50-year partnership with Bangladesh and being part of the country's remarkable development journey. I look forward to my visit and to seeing these achievements firsthand," said Axel van Trotsenburg in a World Bank release Friday (20 January). 

He will meet with the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister, and other senior government officials, civil society representatives, and development partners, and visit World Bank-supported projects. 

He will be accompanied by Martin Raiser, World Bank vice president for the South Asia Region.

The World Bank was among the first development partners to support Bangladesh after its independence. Since then, the bank has committed about $39 billion, mostly in grants or concessional credits to Bangladesh. 

Bangladesh currently has the largest ongoing programme supported by the World Bank Group's International Development Association (IDA).