The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide $58.6 million in grant financing and a $28.1 million concessional loan to strengthen infrastructure and essential services for displaced people from Myanmar and the host communities in Bangladesh.
To this effect, the ADB and Bangladesh government signed agreements at the ERD office in Dhaka on Monday.
“We are proud to assist Bangladesh in improving resilience, services, and livelihood opportunities for displaced populations and host communities, while promoting social harmony between them,” said Hoe Yun Jeong. He noted that the new initiative complements ADB’s earlier projects, which have already provided $171.4 million in financing since 2018.
The integrated services and livelihood for displaced people from Myanmar and host communities development project will focus on clean water, sanitation, road and bridge upgrades, disaster preparedness, food security, energy, and improved connectivity.
It is designed with tailored interventions to meet the different needs of displaced people and local residents in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char in Noakhali.
Key activities in the camps include the installation of solar-powered streetlights in Cox’s Bazar, upgrading fecal sludge treatment systems in Bhasan Char, and promoting biogas use for cooking.
In both locations, drainage canals will be restored using eco-friendly methods, and new food distribution centers will be built with priority access for women, children, and people with disabilities.
For host communities, the project will deliver multi-purpose cyclone shelters in Hatia, set up mini piped water supply networks in nine upazilas of Cox’s Bazar, and construct a surface water treatment plant with a transmission pipeline to supply the water-scarce Teknaf area.
Road development in both Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char will further boost mobility and access to services.
Bangladesh currently shelters over one million displaced Rohingya from Myanmar, nearly three-quarters of whom are women and children. Around 36,000 have moved voluntarily to Bhasan Char.
The ADB founded in 1966 and owned by 69 member countries, plays a pivotal role in advancing inclusive and sustainable development across Asia and the Pacific. The bank partners with governments and stakeholders to deliver transformative projects, strengthen resilience, and improve quality of life.
