Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Australia will provide about US$7.0 million to Bangladesh as a grant for ensuring access to clean water and sanitation to 400,000 marginal people of country's three southwestern coastal districts.
The grant will channel through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) as an additional aid to the existing Hygiene, Sanitation and Water Supply (HYSAWA) Fund of the governments of Bangladesh and Denmark.
The Australian support will enable the HYSAWA fund to extend its coverage from 513 to 553 Union Parishads, benefiting an additional 400,000 people in the Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts.
An arrangement detailing Australia's support for HYSAWA was exchanged between Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Justin Lee, Denmark's Charge d' Affaires Jan Moller Hansen and the Chair of HYSAWA's Governing Board Manzur Hossain, at a ceremony at the High Commissioner's residence Wednesday night.
Secretary of the Economic Relations Division M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, the Managing Director of HYSAWA Enamul Kabir, Denmark's Ambassador-designate Svend Olling and AusAID's Dhaka head Rachel Payne were present on the occasion.
BBN/SI/AD-26Aug10-5:11 pm (BST)
