A three-day regional event, organised by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), kicked off in the city on Tuesday to further enhance project design and implementation capacity of ADB-funded projects’ executing and implementing agencies.
State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan inaugurated the event at a city hotel this morning.
Secretary for Economic Relations Division Kazi Shofiqul Azam, ADB Country Director Manmohan Parkash, and ADB’s Portfolio Management Division Director Rehan Kausar, among others, spoke at the opening session, according to a press release.
“The event in Dhaka is the first regional initiative in South Asia for promoting sound design and efficient implementation of development projects,” said ADB Country Director Manmohan Parkash, reports BSS.
The event is meaningful as it is a part of ADB efforts to deliver effective development results by combining financing with knowledge and expertise. Projects are the cornerstones of ADB’s relationship with the client countries, he said.
He said in Bangladesh, ADB has focused its cooperation on six sectors-energy, transport, water and urban/municipal infrastructure and services; education; finance; and agriculture, natural resources, and rural development.
ADB’s ongoing active portfolio in Bangladesh comprises 53 projects amounting to $9.4 billion, and 27 technical assistance projects amounting at $23.8 million, Parkash added.
Around 70 ministry officials and government project staff from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka as well as ADB staff are participating in the event.
The programme also includes a site visit to a facility under the Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority on the last day.
Senior ADB staff, including directors and sector experts, will conduct sessions.