DHAKA, Jan 16, 2014- The World Bank (WB) reassured that it would continue its support to Bangladesh to help the country achieve its goal of becoming a middle income country by 2021.
“We are committed to supporting Bangladesh’s goal of becoming a middle income country by its 50th Birthday,” World Bank (WB) country director for Bangladesh Johannes Zutt said Thursday.
The reassurance of assisting Bangladesh from the global leading development partner effectively dispelled the wild speculation that the foreign aid and assistance to country would decline due to political crisis over the national elections.
“Bangladesh represents a remarkable development story. It reduced the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day from 58.6 percent in 2000 to 43.3 percent in 2010,” the WB country director said following the endorsement of Bangladesh Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) Progress Report for 2011-15 by the Bank’s Board.
Johannes Zutt farther said, for the World Bank, Bangladesh is an important partner in its global goal of eliminating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity by 2030.
The CAS Progress Report tracks the performance of the World Bank Group’s Country Assistance Strategy for Bangladesh.
The Bank Group’s programme for the remainder of the CAS period will place greater emphasis on strategic selectivity by enhancing financing in areas such as infrastructure and energy which are necessary to support growth and jobs; strengthening governance; and boosting knowledge, partnerships and leveraging financing.
The institution’s new commitments to Bangladesh in IDA financing during the CAS period FY2011-2015 stands at 4.5 billion.
BSS
