OREANDA-NEWS.  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will increase public- and private-sector lending to Bangladesh to $8.0 billion for 2016 through 2020 to help the country build the infrastructure and skills needed for a strong, diversified economy and to strengthen trade links within the region.

The Bangladesh Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for 2016-2020, endorsed by the ADB Board of Directors, envisages an enhanced partnership between Bangladesh and ADB.

“Bangladesh halved poverty as targeted under the Millennium Development Goals, and reached middle-income status following decade-long strong economic growth. Our new CPS is aligned with the government’s goals of creating new sources of growth, generating employment, and supporting rural development for regionally balanced growth,” said Kazuhiko Higuchi, Country Director of ADB’s Bangladesh office.

The CPS adopts a broad-based approach in order to respond flexibly to the demand of the country. Based on ADB’s core strengths, the CPS will help ease infrastructure constraints, boost human capital, promote economic corridor development, improve rural livelihoods, and provide climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure and services. The CPS will promote investment and growth in specific geographical areas to ensure a more integrated and higher impact.

ADB will help the development of economic corridors to position Bangladesh well in regional and global value chains. The CPS supports further development of the Dhaka-Chittagong industrial artery, extending to Cox’s Bazar in the southeastern part of the country, and development of the southwest economic corridor from Dhaka.

In coming years, ADB proposes to support major railway and road network capacity improvement; Chittagong port development; urban transport in Dhaka; power generation, transmission, and distribution; energy transmission, including regional energy trade; renewable energy development; water and urban services nationwide; water resources management and flood control; climate-resilient rural infrastructure; education and skills development; and access to finance.