Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Hoe Yun Jeong met with Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Water Resources, at the Forest Department in Dhaka today. The discussions focused on ADB’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s climate resilience and environmental sustainability.

During the meeting, Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasized ADB’s increased focus on climate-focused and socially inclusive activities over traditional infrastructure projects. Highlighting her government’s ambitious plans to restore eight major rivers across the country’s eight divisions, she urged ADB to prioritize river cleaning initiatives around Dhaka.

The Advisor also stressed the need for tangible actions on the ground instead of merely formulating action plans. She called for concessional loans and sought ADB’s support in addressing key environmental challenges, including solid waste management, sewage treatment, salinity intrusion, waterlogging, and human-elephant conflicts.

ADB Country Director Hoe Yun Jeong said that ADB will provide Bangladesh with $1 billion annually in concessional financing over the next five years. He assured enhanced financial support, including grants, to advance Bangladesh’s environmental goals. He expressed strong interest in river cleaning projects. Additionally, he highlighted ADB’s commitment to increasing community engagement and public consultations during project implementation.

Senior officials, including the Environment Secretary, Joint Secretary, Chief Conservator of Forests, and representatives from ADB, were present at the meeting, underscoring the collaborative efforts to address Bangladesh’s environmental challenges.