The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Bangladesh signed a $230 million loan deal today to aid with the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in north-eastern Bangladesh following devastating floods in May-June 2022.
The agreements were signed on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB by Sharifa Khan, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, and Edimon Ginting, ADB Country Director for Bangladesh, respectively.
According to a press release, the assistance under the Flood Reconstruction Emergency Assistance Project will aid in the reconstruction, resilience, and economic recovery of the northeastern districts of Brahmanbaria, Habiganj, Kishoreganj, Moulvibazar, Mymensingh, Netrakona, Sherpur, Sunamganj, and Sylhet.
Record rainfall in northeastern Bangladesh in May-June 2022 caused massive flooding, especially in the low-lying Haor region, affecting some 7.2 million people.
“The project will address the climate change impacts by developing innovative climate-resilient infrastructure under the build-back-better principles in line with the government’s national adaptation plan,” said Country Director Edimon Ginting.
“The project will also help improve living conditions, livelihoods, and climate resilience in the flood-affected northeast region of Bangladesh by reducing flood risks in 79,233 hectares of land; improving climate-resilient irrigation infrastructure and water delivery services in at least 10,000 hectares of land; reconstructing and rehabilitating 757 kilometers (KM) of rural roads, 34 km of rail track, 80 km of river embankment and 11,900 tube wells; and planting 100,000 trees,” Ginting added.
The project will offer climate-smart agriculture technology and livelihood support to flood-affected people in the socioeconomically disadvantaged Haor region in collaboration with prominent national and international research institutes.
