The USA has decided to provide more than 173 million US dollars as new funding to support Bangladesh’s ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response as well as efforts over post-COVID development and economic recovery.
“I’m pleased to announce, today, the US government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing more than $173 million in new funding to strengthen development activities in Bangladesh and complement the Bangladesh government’s ongoing efforts to respond to the spread of the COVID-19,” US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller announced as he joined an event virtually from the US Embassy.
The US diplomat told the new funding incorporates over $17 million in health and humanitarian assistance which is in addition to the over $19 million that has previously been provided by the USAID to support Bangladesh’s COVID-19 response efforts.
“Our commitment to each other (the USA and Bangladesh) has never been more important. And America’s commitment to Bangladesh has never been stronger,” the ambassador added.
“Our commitment to Bangladesh and its people has never been stronger,” said @USAmbBangladesh during an opening ceremony for #doctors & #nurses training to stop the spread of #COVID19. Read his full remarks: https://t.co/AJERZY0yq9#AmericaActs2/3 pic.twitter.com/ThXLJjfry0 — U.S. Embassy Dhaka (@usembassydhaka) June 15, 2020
“Our commitment to Bangladesh and its people has never been stronger,” said @USAmbBangladesh during an opening ceremony for #doctors & #nurses training to stop the spread of #COVID19. Read his full remarks: https://t.co/AJERZY0yq9#AmericaActs2/3 pic.twitter.com/ThXLJjfry0
— U.S. Embassy Dhaka (@usembassydhaka) June 15, 2020
The additional support will support a new program to provide cash-based transfers for food to 100,000 urban poor living in low-income areas of Kalyanpur and Sattala Bosti as well as reestablish linkages between markets and farmers as well as support supply chains.
“I am especially pleased that our new USAID funding will provide life-saving food assistance to thousands of urban, underprivileged people in Dhaka,” Miller said.
With this new funding, the US government, through USAID alone, has provided nearly $37 million to support COVID-19 response efforts in Bangladesh, which is part of the USA’s $ 1 billion dollar commitment declared for 120 countries to fight the pandemic.
