World Bank backs govt priority programmes
The World Bank has expressed interest in supporting several of the government’s priority programmes, including the proposed Family Card and Farmers’ Card initiatives, employment generation and women’s economic empowerment.
The commitment was conveyed by World Bank Division Director for Bangladesh Jean Pesme during a meeting with Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on Tuesday, according to a press release.
The discussions focused on a range of the government’s key policy priorities, including the nationwide expansion of the Family Card programme, the introduction of the Farmers’ Card scheme, job creation, increasing employment opportunities for women, expanding technical and vocational education, and strengthening the economic empowerment of women at the grassroots level.
Both sides also exchanged views on broadening the coverage of the Family Card programme to improve access to social protection for poor and marginalised communities, particularly women.
The meeting highlighted the importance of developing a skilled workforce and strengthening employment-oriented education to meet the evolving demands of the labour market.
Mahdi Amin, who also serves as the Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson, briefed the World Bank delegation on the government’s development priorities, including key commitments outlined in the BNP’s election manifesto, and discussed strategies for their effective implementation.
The two sides also explored potential areas of cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth, public welfare, employment generation and broader participation in development initiatives.
The World Bank representatives expressed their willingness to share Bangladesh with their experience of implementing development programmes in other countries.
They also reaffirmed their interest in providing technical assistance and working closely with the government to support the implementation of its priority programmes.
The World Bank delegation comprised Gayle Martin, Dhruv Sharma, Aneeka Rahman, Syed Rashed Al-Zayed Josh and Shrayana Bhattacharya.
