Support Bangladesh's efforts to alleviate poverty

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has urged the World Bank to continue to work towards supporting Bangladesh's efforts to alleviate poverty.

He made the comment at a meeting with Martin Raiser, vice president, South Asia region of the WB, at his ministry office yesterday, according to a foreign ministry statement.

The minister suggested scaling up the WB's work on human resource development, while Raiser referred to the WB's contribution to primary and pre-school education in Bangladesh.

Raiser expressed particular interest in supporting integration of vocational training as part of formal education, the statement said.

Momen said the WB can showcase Bangladesh's socio-economic development as an international success story to mark the 50th anniversary of the country's partnership with the global lender.

Raiser appreciated Bangladesh's achievements in sustainable development and reaffirmed the WB's readiness to support the country towards the next transition in its development journey.

Momen invited the WB to invest further in climate-smart infrastructures, especially for widening and heightening embankments along the coastal belt, the statement added.

He also shared his ideas about coastal forestation and renewable energy generation based on such embankments.

Raiser said 35 percent of the WB's current International Development Association contribution to Bangladesh maintains a focus on enhancing the country's resilience to climate change impacts.

He responded positively to Momen's suggestion to explore possible partnership with the Global Hub for Locally-Led Adaptation, recently launched under the aegis of the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA)'s regional office based in Dhaka.

Raiser acknowledged the generosity of the government and people of Bangladesh in hosting the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, said the statement.

He reiterated the WB's interest in supporting improved living conditions and education of the Rohingyas.

Momen informed Raiser about the government's arrangements in Bhasan Char for the relocated Rohingyas and also suggested that the WB look into possibilities for its engagements in this regard.

He underscored the need for the international community's support towards making Bangladesh's LDC graduation smooth and sustainable.

Abdoulaye Seck, WB country director for Bangladesh, was also present at the meeting.