World Bank to Provide $300 Million for Bangladesh Clean Air Project

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the interim government’s Adviser on Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, and Water Resources, Bangladesh, announced that the World Bank would provide $300 million in loan assistance to the Bangladesh Clean Air Project (BCAP).

The project’s main objective is to improve air quality and reduce pollution across key sectors of the country.

The financing comes from the International Development Association (IDA), a branch of the World Bank. There are grants available to reduce air pollution from cooking, linked to the national air quality management plan.

In a meeting at the Ministry of Environment, Rizwana Hasan called on the World Bank to assist with waste management and canal restoration in Dhaka to establish a “Blue Network.”

The meeting included Martin Raiser, World Bank Vice President for South Asia, and Abdoulaye Seck, Country Director for Bangladesh, along with senior officials from both ministries.

The discussions also touched on the harmful effects of polythene and the need for alternative products. The Environment Adviser announced plans to make the Secretariat plastic-free by December and to phase out polythene with the help of shop owners.

The gathering emphasized potential support for a “Loss and Damage Fund” and help with the National Adaptation Plan (NAP).