AMN
World Bank Managing Director for Operations Axel Van Trotsenburg has called Bangladesh’s development and growth story an inspiration for many countries. In a press release issued after concluding his 3-day long visit to Bangladesh on Tuesday, Van Trotsenburg commended Bangladesh for tackling many of the development challenges in remarkable ways.
He said Bangladesh has reduced poverty in record time and has played a leading and innovative role in disaster risk management and adaptation to climate change. Reaffirming World Bank’s commitment to help achieve its vision of becoming an upper-middle income country by 2031, Van Trotsenburg reiterated World Bank’s support for the green and inclusive economic growth of Bangladesh.
World Bank MD met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday and commended Bangladesh’s role in climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness. He also lauded Prime Minister Hasina’s leadership as the chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum during 2020-2022. He said Bangladesh has emerged as a global leader in climate resilience and disaster preparedness by taking a bold and innovative approach reducing cyclone-related deaths more than 100-fold since 1971.
The World Bank helped Bangladesh build and rehabilitate more than 700 km of coastal embankments, 1,000 cyclone shelters that also operate as schools, and 550 km of paved roads that improve access for surrounding villages. Van Trotsenburg also visited the Kutupalong Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar and thanked Bangladesh for its generosity in providing shelter to about 1.1 million displaced Rohingya people.
During the visit, Axel Van Trotsenburg also met with the Finance Minister, senior government officials, and development partners and discussed Bangladesh’s development priorities. He was accompanied by World Bank Vice President for the South Asia Region, Martin Raiser.