Bangladesh has sought loan assistance from the World Bank to make the capital, Dhaka city, livable
Bangladesh has reportedly sought technical assistance to design an investment program to restore rivers around Dhaka.
This information comes from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meeting held in Washington, USA, on October 19, 2022.
The Prime Minister’s Office submitted such a proposal to the World Bank. However, received such a proposal from Bangladesh, these organizations have discussed an umbrella investment program to save the city of Dhaka.
The World Bank will provide technical assistance to design the Umbrella Programme (UIP), making Dhaka livable by restoring the rivers around Dhaka city.
The Economic Relations Division (ERD), Bangladesh, team is leading the charge. The World Bank will collect resources and develop the rivers around Dhaka under the program. Besides, they have contracted with an international group to provide consultancy services.
They will support the efforts of government stakeholders involved in this technical agreement. The World Bank is taking an important step to pave the way for future structural action.
Bangladesh told the World Bank that river restoration is a complex issue. Because many sectors and stakeholders are involved, it will consolidate the collective efforts of the concerned government agencies to determine the required work.
A holistic strategy and a time-bound approach to integrated river management are needed in the proper planning of the World Bank so that the World Bank can effectively prioritize future investments.
The objective of the technical project is that the proposed umbrella project will facilitate design and decision-making for Dhaka’s rivers.
A baseline assessment of ongoing efforts requires developing an overall strategy with direction for resolution.
A roadmap is needed to align and implement projects under Dhaka’s rivers. In this case, Technical Assistance (TA) will mainly help to improve strategic planning.
The TA project will include data collection, stakeholder consultation, and a review of the institutional context and legal framework.
Under the study, it will update the evaluation of existing relevant plans and the project status of river planning around Dhaka as a whole.
A standard approach to design the rivers of Dhaka will propose. Umbrella projects will adopt as a tool for prioritizing future investments. The World Bank will help develop a roadmap to consolidate joint government efforts in river restoration.
The TA project started in March 2022 and has scheduled to be completed by March 2023. So far, ongoing planning work is underway with the World Bank and consultant stakeholders.
The project authority holds fifty-one discussions with 21 relevant ministries, departments, and related organizations.
From those discussions, recommendations included planning for river restoration and associated urban services. The project authority collected relevant project information and organized five technical meetings between focal persons.
In its submission to the World Bank, Bangladesh said river restoration involves many sectors and stakeholders and will require a long-term sustainable approach.
The Dhaka River Master Plan (2019) provides a foundation but lacks a holistic, integral long-term strategy for Dhaka’s River restoration.
The current TA envisages an Umbrella Investment Program (UIP) for maximum economic and social benefits for Dhaka in short to medium term. Integrated river management requires a holistic strategy.
