Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said Bangladesh expects the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to extend greater support to accelerate the socio-economic development of its people. She conveyed the expectation to ADB Vice President (Sector and Themes) Fatima Yasmin who paid a courtesy call to her at Ganabhaban here.

PM’s Speech Writer Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.

“Our main goal is the socioeconomic uplift of the country’s people and inclusive development. The government is attaching priority on the development of rural people,” the premier was quoted as saying.

She told the ADB official that her government has focused on enhancing the purchasing power of the country’s people as it would help expand industrialisation and create more job opportunities.

Hasina mentioned the sectors like climate change adaptation, agriculture, river excavation and restoration where the Manila-based Asian Development Bank can increase its assistance.

The PM called upon the ADP to take more people-centric projects so that a large number of people could benefit.

Fatima said Bangladesh is a top priority country for the ADB as the regional lender enhanced its support towards the South Asian country five times from 2009 to 2023.

She told the prime minister that ADB is keen to implement projects centring on river restoration as well as river-based tourism, recreation centres and irrigation alongside prioritising climate change adaptation, human and social development, technical education and health sector projects.

Fatima served as the senior secretary in the finance division of Bangladesh before joining the ADB in September last year.

PM’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Economic Relations Division Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky were present.