WB to provide US$ 300m for clean air project

World Bank will provide USD 300 million assistance to support the Bangladesh Clean Air Project (BCAP), which aims to strengthen air quality management and reduce emissions from key sectors.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, Climate Change, and Water Resources, shared the information following a high-level meeting with Martin Raiser, vice president of the World Bank South Asia Region, and Abdoulaye Seck, World Bank’s Country Director for Bangladesh.

The meeting was held at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at Secretariat in Dhaka on Sunday.

Rizwana said the project will be funded by an IDA credit, along with a potential grant for clean cooking initiatives as part of the National Air Quality Management Plan.

She also sought for the World Bank’s assistance in waste management and the restoration of canals in Dhaka to create a ‘blue network’.

Rizwana highlighted the government’s strong commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development, stressing the importance of integrated approaches to water resource management and climate change mitigation.

World Bank Vice-President Martin Raiser commended Bangladesh’s efforts to implement progressive environmental policies and affirmed its support in aligning these efforts with global best practices.

Abdoulaye Seck emphasised the importance of international collaboration and strategic investments to achieve long-term sustainability goals.

The secretary and additional secretary of the environment ministry and senior officials from both the ministry and the World Bank were present at the meeting.