Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government on Sunday signed $45 million loan agreements to expand a water resources management project in the southwest area of Bangladesh.
The Government of the Netherlands will provide a grant of $7 million for the project, to be administered by the ADB.
Mohammad Mejbahuddin, Senior Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Kazuhiko Higuchi, Country Director, Bangladesh Resident Mission of ADB, signed the agreements on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB respectively, at a ceremony at ERD, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital Dhaka.
The additional assistance will increase the scope of the Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management Project that has sharply increased agriculture production and benefited over 191,000 people, including landless farmers and women.
The ADB and the Government of the Netherlands had provided $20 million and $12.5 million for the original project respectively, which was approved in 2005, and has renovated dilapidated infrastructure and established participatory water management planing and management system with livelihood improvement supports.
The expanded project is expected to be completed in June 2022.
BBN/SSR/AD