Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director for Bangladesh Hoe Yun Jeong has said the lending organisation aims to further increase its development financing in the coming years to support more municipalities and improve living standards across the country.
He said ADB’s priority is to extend the reach of its successful projects and spread the benefits more widely, noting that the ambition is “very clear” — to scale up investments and create stronger nationwide impact.
Jeong made the remarks to BSS while visiting ADB-financed project sites in Patuakhali and Khulna, where he observed progress in infrastructure upgrades and urban resilience initiatives.
He added that discussions with the Bangladesh government would ultimately determine the pace and volume of future funding.
Commenting on implementation progress in Patuakhali municipality and Chalna Pourashava, Jeong said ADB is pleased with the improvements being delivered under ongoing urban development projects. He noted that direct engagement with beneficiaries allowed him to see how ADB-backed investments are improving everyday life, local services and municipal capacity.
The Country Director said ADB intends to further strengthen its cooperation with the government, with local governments and with pourashavas and city authorities to ensure that small- and medium-scale infrastructure brings “big development outcomes.”
Responding to questions about coastal challenges, Jeong said tackling salinity is an integral component of the Coastal Town Climate Resilience Project. He explained that the project not only addresses water security in vulnerable coastal areas but also supports livelihoods and economic activity.
He said ADB’s urban investments are built on an integrated approach — combining infrastructure, economic interventions and climate resilience — helping municipalities unlock growth potential.
Jeong also emphasised that Bangladesh remains one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, and ADB will therefore maintain targeted support for coastal populations exposed to rising environmental threats.
Looking ahead, he said the bank is working toward connecting urbanisation with industrial development so that municipalities evolve into regional economic hubs, driving growth beyond major metropolitan centres. He said that such strategies would feature prominently as ADB prepares its next Country Partnership Framework.
The Country Director confirmed that the second phase of the City Region Development initiative is underway and discussions continue with the government to design the geographical scope and subprojects for a prospective third phase.
Officials at the Economic Relations Division said ADB is preparing a sizable new financing programme of around $2.5 billion for 2026, supporting at least ten major development projects. They added that dedicated standby funding will also be set aside for emergencies or priority needs.
ADB has nearly finalised this pipeline under its recent Country Programming Mission for 2026.
Under its current Country Partnership Strategy (2021–2025), which ends next year, ADB remains the country’s second-largest multilateral development partner. Bangladesh received $2.52 billion from the bank in FY2024–25, and commitments are in place for a further $2.0 billion.
ADB currently manages a portfolio of around $11.8 billion across 51 active projects in Bangladesh. Since 1973, the bank has supported major investments in power, energy, transport, health, agriculture, water, urban development, education and governance, with total assistance exceeding $33.9 billion in loans and $571 million in grants.
