Bangladesh may seek financial support from global leaders to aid it in meeting sustainable development goals (SDGs) this afternoon (US local time).
Finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal will brief on his country's plans to fulfil the SDGs at a meeting at the World Bank (WB) headquarters in Washington DC.
He might seek financial aid from global political and business leaders, disclosed Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, WB alternative executive director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka.
Mr Kamal will join his counterparts from some countries and chief executive officers (CEOs) from different American corporates in the event.
Today's parley 'Financing for development: Ministerial lunch meeting focusing on private investment for SDGs' is part of the ongoing WB-International Monetary Fund Spring Meeting 2019.
The WB and the United Nations are co-hosting the meeting on Friday afternoon (USA local time).
"This will be an opportunity for Bangladesh to brief them on the country's development and potential," Mr Bhuiyan told the media.
He said the minister would showcase Bangladesh's strength to attain the SDGs and parade its successes at different socio-economic sectors.
Bangladesh is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world which requires billions of dollars of funds to cut poverty at zero level by 2030.
According to the government, Bangladesh will require $928.48 billion to implement the SDGs by the stipulated time frame.
It expects 42.09 per cent of the funds from the private sector, 35.5 per cent from the public sector, 5.59 per cent from the public-private partnership and 14.89 per cent from the foreign direct investment (FDI).
Meanwhile, Economic Relations Division secretary Monowar Ahmed told reporters that Bangladesh would seek global financial aid for the Rohingya who remain stranded in Cox's Bazar district.
He was scheduled to take part in a separate meeting on Rohingya issues on Thursday (US local time) where global cooperation would be sought.
As monsoon nears, Mr Bhuiyan said, the refugee shelters could be vulnerable in coming months. It is imperative to develop infrastructure there.
"Bangladesh has been working on enhancing living facilities at the shelters for the Rohingya, but it needs more external support," he went on to say.
More than 1.0 million Rohingya Muslims from neighbouring Myanmar have taken shelter in the border belt of Cox's Bazar.
Global leaders, including ministers, government high officials, CEOs and representatives from development partners and financial institutions are attending the annual Spring Meeting that will end on Sunday.
Some 2,800 delegates, representatives from 350 financial institutions, 800 journalists and 550 civil-society representatives are also participating in the event.
